Aspectos reprodutivos e perfil metabólico de coelhas (Oryctolagus cuniculus) suplementadas com geleia real in natura

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to assess the effect of oral supplementation of in natura royal jelly on reproductive parameters and metabolic profile of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We used 36 rabbits of California and New Zealand breeds distributed in four groups (G), as it follows: Group 1 (n=9): no supplementation with royal jelly, Groups 2, 3 and 4 (n=9): supplementation with 10, 20 and 40 mg/day of in natura royal jelly. The animals were supplemented for 11 months. The females were superovulation, submitted to natural cover and euthanasiated 72 hours after copulation for the collection of embryos and bloody plasma. The following parameters were assessed: weight of womb; weight, width, length and height of ovaries; gonadosomatic index; length and diameter of the uterine tube and uterine horn; vagina length; number of follicles and corpora lutea in the ovary; embryonic recovery rate; number of total recovered structures; viable and degenerated embryos; morphological quality of viable embryos. It was determined plasma concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), triglycerides, urea and creatinine. For the statistical analysis of data, the analysis of variance was used, with 5% of probability. There was no statistical difference for the analyzed variables (P>0,05). It was concluded that royal jelly did not present stimulatory or harmful effect on reproductive organs of rabbits, on embryonic quality or on blood metabolites at a dosage of up to 40 mg of in natura royal jelly, orally and chronically administered.