Determination of serum levels of corticosterone and sexual steroid hormones, stress-induced by physical restraint and venom extraction, on Bothrops jararaca (Ophidia: Viperidae) / Determinação dos níveis séricos de corticosterona e hormônios esteróides sexuais, induzidos pelo estresse da contenção física e da extração de veneno, em Bothrops jararaca (Ophidia: Viperidae).

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

In the present studies, 30 snakes of the species B. jararaca with three years old, born in captivity at the Laboratório de Herpetologia - Instituto Butantan - were divided into 3 experimental groups, each one containing 10 animals. The mean weight and snout vent length of males and females were 97 grams and 75 centimeters and 281 grams and 99 centimeters, respectively. The Group A animals did not have their daily management modified since their birth, staying at the same room through all experiment. The Groups B and C animals were transferred, at the beginning of the studies, to the same venom extraction room, but only snakes of Group C were submitted to milking routine. Each two months for a period of a year 2 ml of blood were collected by ventral caudal venipuncture, at two different moments, for hematological exams and serum measurement of estradiol, testosterone and corticosterone by RIA (radioimmunoassay). The first blood samples were collected 120 seconds after physical restraint and the second blood samples occurred 90 minutes after physical restraint and/or milking routine. Snakes of the three groups showed high serum levels of corticosterone response for the restraint and/or milking procedure, indicating that these procedures can be considered stress agents. Although it has not been observed a significant correlation between levels of corticosterone and sexual steroids hormones, testosterone concentration in males and estradiol concentration in females diminished in animals showing higher levels of corticosterone. The heterophil/limphocyte relation could not be considered a good stress indicator in pitvipers of our studies.

ASSUNTO(S)

extração de veneno estresse corticosterona testosterone jararaca estradiol estradiol jararaca venom extraction testosterona corticosterone stress

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