AMMONIA COMPROMISES THE DYNAMICS OF SOME BLOOD PARAMETERS IN EXPOSED TO STRESS RABBITS

M. Dyavolova, P. Moneva, D. Gudev, I. Yanchev

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of ammonia on stress-induced alterations of hematocrit, erythrocyte count, leukocyte count and free fatty acids. Twenty male rabbits of the New Zealand White breed at the age of 4 months were randomly allocated into two groups: control - reared under low air ammonia levels (1.4-14.6 ppm) and experimental – reared under higher ammonia levels (28-57 ppm). The rabbits of both groups were exposed to forced running stress for 15 min on day 37 of the trial and two weeks later they received i.m. injection of 0.1 mg synthetic adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) per rabbit. Ammonia prevented ACTH-induced decline of leukocyte count at 2 h after the injection. Hematocrit values in the control rabbits increased at 20 (P<0.01) and 60 min (P<0.01) following exposure to forced running without any change in erythrocyte count, whereas in the experimental rabbits hematocrit was significantly higher at 2 h following ACTH injection relative to basal level (P<0.01). Plasma free fatty acids in the control rabbits declined in response to forced running (P<0.01) and ACTH injection (P<0.01). Similar but not significant decline was observed in the experimental rabbits.

Keywords: erythrocytes; free fatty acids; hematocrit; leukocytes; rabbit; stress

Date published: 2017-09-04