Veterinary Archives, Vol. 78 No. 5, 2008.
Original scientific paper
The effect of fasting on the concentrations of total proteins and of uric acid as well as on aminotransferase activity in duckling blood plasma.
Ivana Tlak
orcid.org/0000-0002-4480-3599
; Department of Biology and Pathology of Fish and Bees, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Suzana Milinković-Tur
; Department of Physiology and Radiobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,University of Zagreb, Croatia
Zvonko Stojević
; Department of Physiology and Radiobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,University of Zagreb, Croatia
Jasna Piršljin
; Department of Physiology and Radiobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,University of Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The effect of a six-day fasting period on the variations of total protein and uric acid concentrations as well as on the activities of aspartate aminotransferase [aspartate:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (AST); EC 2.6.1.1] and alanine aminotransferase [L-alanine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (ALT); EC 2.6.1.2] was investigated in Peking Duck ducklings. At the age of 28 days, the ducklings were divided into two groups: a normally fed control group (n = 28), and a group that was submitted to a six-day long fast. Eight ducklings from the experimental group and seven ducklings belonging to the control group were sacrificed by decapitation after the 3rd, the 4th, the 5th, and the 6th day of fasting. The blood for analysis was sampled from the neck, simultaneously in the experimental and in the control group, heparin being used as the anticoagulant. In the blood plasma obtained, the concentrations of total proteins and of uric acid as well as the levels of AST and ALT activities were assessed by spectrophotometer. Over the entire trial period, the concentration of total proteins in the blood plasma of the fasting ducklings was significantly lower than the control values: on day 3, P = 0.0239, and on days 4, 5, and 6, P = 0.0012. After the period of five days of the trial, a significantly higher (P = 0.018) value of uric acid concentration was measured in the experimental ducklings than in the controls, but at the same time, the lowest uric acid concentration in the entire trial period was found in the control group. In relation to the control group, significantly lower AST activity was found after the 5th day of fasting (P = 0.0276), and lower ALT activity after the 4th day of fasting (P = 0.0410). The low concentrations of total proteins over the entire trial period as well as reduced activities of the afore mentioned enzymes were probably a consequence of a reduced protein regeneration in the body due to the deficiency of amino acids from the gastro-intestinal tract during fasting.
Keywords
fasting; ducklings; total proteins; uric acid; aspartate aminotransferase; alanine aminotransferase
Hrčak ID:
28913
URI
Publication date:
20.10.2008.
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