Elevated levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine in the last trimester of pregnancy of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius)

Document Type : Physiology

Authors

1 Animal Health Management Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Animal Sciences Department, Agriculture Faculty, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

3 Animal Science Department, Agriculture Faculty, Birjand University, Birjand, Iran

Abstract

Background: The knowledge of blood parameters is important for assessing the physiological status and health of animals. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the effect of heavy pregnancy on some serum indices of dromedary camels. METHODS: Twenty clinically healthy female dromedary camels aged between 4-5 years were divided into two equal groups: I: pregnant camels in their last trimester; and II: non-pregnant age-matched controls. The concentration of glucose, calcium, phosphorus, albumin, total protein, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine and the activity of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), was measured. RESULTS: The results of this study show that the concentrations of glucose, calcium and phosphorus remained unchanged in pregnant camels compared to non-pregnant ones. The concentrations of serum BUN and creatinine in pregnant camels were higher, and these aforementioned differences were significant (p=0. 02 and 0.003 respectively). GGT activity was lower in pregnant than in non-pregnant camels (p=0. 04). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in BUN and creatinine levels might be part of the homeorhetic mechanisms for adaptation of camels during heavy pregnancy. The high urea-recycling rate in camels may transfer urea to the gastrointestinal tract as a source of “non-protein nitrogen” instead of being excreted as urine. The reduction of GGT as at the time of heavy pregnancy, may be attributed to its conversion to glutathione, as an antioxidant.

Keywords


Article Title [Persian]

سطوح بالای ازت اوره خون و کراتینین در سه ماهه آخر آبستنی شتر تککوهانه (Camelus dromedarius)

Authors [Persian]

  • آرش امیدی 1
  • محمد حسن فتحی 2
  • مهسا آسیابان 3
1 گروه مدیریت بهداشت دام، دانشکده دامپزشکی دانشگاه شیراز، شیراز، ایران
2 گروه علوم دامی، دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه بیرجند، بیرجند، ایران
3 گروه علوم دامی، دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه بیرجند، بیرجند، ایران
Abstract [Persian]

زمینه مطالعه:  برای ارزیابی وضعیت فیزیولوژیکی و سلامت حیوانات، دانش در مورد ترکیبات خونی نقش مهمی دارد. هدف: این مطالعه با هدف تعیین اثر آبستنی سنگین بر برخی شاخصهای سرمی شتر تککوهانه انجام شد. روش کار: بیست شتر تک کوهانه ماده سالم بین 4-5 سال به دو گروه مساوی تقسیم شدند. یک: شترهای آبستن در سه ماهه آخر آبستنی و دو : شترهای شاهد همسن و غیرآبستن . غلظت گلوکز، کلسیم، فسفر، آلبومین، پروتئین تام، اسید اوریک، نیتروژن اوره خون (BUN) ، کراتینین و فعالیت آسپارتات آمینو ترانسفراز (AST)، آلانین آمینو ترانسفراز (ALT) و گاماگلوتامیل ترانسفراز (GGT) اندازهگیری شد. نتایج: غلظت گلوکز، کلسیم و فسفر در شترهای آبستن نسبت به شترهای غیر آبستن بدون تغییر باقی ماند. غلظت BUN  و کراتینین سرم در شترهای آبستن بالاتر از شترهای غیر آبستن بود و این اختلاف معنیدار بود، به ترتیب (02/0 and 0.003=p). میزان فعالیت GGT در شترهای آبستن نسبت به غیر آبستن پائینتر بود (04/0=p). نتیجهگیرینهایی: افزایش میزانBUN  و کراتینین ممکن است بخشی از مکانیسمهای هومئورتیک در آداپته شدن شترها به شرایط آبستنی سنگین باشد. میزان بالای چرخش مجدد اوره در شترها ممکن است اوره را به جای دفع از طریق ادرار به دستگاه گوارش به عنوان یک منبع نیتروژن غیر پروتئینی منتقل کند. کاهش GGT در زمان آبستنی سنگین، ممکن است به دلیل تبدیل به گلوتاتیون به عنوان یک آنتی اکسیدان باشد.

Keywords [Persian]

  • پارامترهای خونی
  • شتر تک کوهانه
  • آبستنی سنگین
  • متابولیتها
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