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| Author(s): |
Milena Rodrigues Soares
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) |
| Defense date: | 2005-07-08 |
| Examining board members: |
Helenice de Souza Spinosa;
Silvana Lima Górniak;
Viviane Mayumi Maruo
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| Advisor: | Helenice de Souza Spinosa |
| Abstract | |
Solanum lycocarpum St. Hil, a toxic plant common in almost all states of Brazil, may be consumed by animals in fertile age and in natural condition. The fruits of this plant contain steroidal glycoalkaloids with steroid-like properties. Presently the reproductive effects of S. lycocarpum fruit ingestion during puberty were investigated. The dried fruits were administered in the diet (10%) from the weaning up to adult age (70 days). The body and organs weights, sexual behavior as well as sexual orientation, the feces hormonal levels, hemogram and biochemical blood evaluations, hypothalamic and striatal neurotransmitter levels, and anatomopathological studies of male and female rats were performed. The results showed: 1) a reduced body weight in male and female; 2) in male, an increased epydidimis, seminal vesicle and testis relative weights; 3) no differences of controls and experimental groups of both sex in the hemogram; 4) blood biochemical alterations meaning slight toxicity in muscular and hepatic cells; 5) in female, no interference was detected in estrous cycle and sexual behavior; an improvement of male sexual behavior was observed; 6) that striatal neurotransmitter levels were modified but not in the hypothalamus. These results indicate that exposure to S. lycocarpum during puberty prejudiced the reproductive system, particularly in male rats. (AU) | |