Application of hormonal subdoses at acupoint Hou Hai in estrus synchronization protocols of goats

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of hormonal subdoses at acupoint Hou Hai in estrus synchronization of goats. Sixty-nine females goats received intravaginal sponges containing 60 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate for seven days and were randomly distributed among three treatments: T1 (n = 23): application of 125 μg of PGF2α on the sixth day (D6) and 300 UI of eCG on the seventh day (D7), both intramuscularly (IM); T2 (n = 23) and T3 (n = 23): application 37.5 μg of PGF2α at D6 and 90 UI of eCG at D7, applied by Hou Hai acupuncture and false acupuncture (IM), respectively. The goats were subjected to hormonal protocol and monitored for the coverage and evaluation of reproductive parameters. The data were subjected to normality analysis, followed by appropriate statistical tests for each variable. Greater numbers of estrus goats were obtained in treatments one (T1 = 100%) and three (T3 = 91.3%) (p < 0.05). No difference was observed (p > 0.05) for sponge removal intervals at the beginning (35.9 h) and end (59.8 h) of estrus, and for the duration of estrus (24.7 h), gestation rate at 30 (77%) and 60 (76.7%) days, and prolificacy (1.9). The use of PGF2α and eCG in subdoses applied to the Hou Hai acupoint or false acupoint was efficient in synchronizing estrus in goats, based on the rate of gestation and prolificity of the animals. Key words: Pharmacopuncture. Hormone. Small ruminants. ResumoObjetivou-se avaliar a eficácia de subdoses hormonais no acuponto Hou Hai na sincronização de estro em cabras. Sessenta e nove fêmeas receberam esponjas intravaginais com 60mg de acetato de medroxiprogesterona por sete dias, e distribuídas aleatoriamente em três tratamentos: T1 (n = 23): aplicação de 125 µg de PGF2 α no sexto dia (D6) e 300UI de eCG no sétimo dia (D7), ambos por via intramuscular (IM); T2 (n=23) e T3 (n=23): receberam 37,5 µg de PGF2 α no D6 e 90UI de eCG no D7, aplicados no acuponto Hou Hai e em falso acuponto (IM), respectivamente. As cabras foram submetidas ao protocolo hormonal e monitoradas para realização das coberturas e avaliação de parâmetros reprodutivos. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de normalidade, seguido dos testes estatísticos adequados para cada variável. Obteve-se maior número de cabras em estro nos tratamentos um (T1=100%) e três (T3=91,3%) (p < 0,05). Não houve diferença (p > 0,05) para os intervalos da retirada da esponja ao início (35,9h) e final (59,8h) do estro, bem como para a duração do estro (24,7h), taxa de gestação aos 30 (77%) e 60 (76,7%) dias, e prolificidade (1,9). O uso de subdoses de PGF 2 α e de eCG aplicados no acuponto Hou Hai ou em falso acuponto foram eficientes na sincronização de estro em caprinos, com base na taxa de gestação e prolificidade dos animais. Palavras-chave: Farmacopuntura. Hormônio. Pequenos ruminantes.

Application of low dose of equine chorionic gonadotropin at acupoint Hou Hai for fixed-time artificial insemination in beef cows

“…Which, consequently, may result in acceptable pregnancy rates after FTAI in cows (SALES et al, 2011), as well as in heifers (SÁ FILHO et al, 2010b) treated with 400 IU in P 4 device removal, which was also observed in present study, even using eCG dose much lower than that studied by Sá Filho et al (2010b). Cardoso et al (2018) used 30% eCG dose at the Hou Hai acupoint for the synchronization of estrus and ovulation, and obtained a follicular growth rate of 2.14 ± 0.09 mm/day, mean diameter of the largest follicle of 7.39 ± 0.16 mm, and mean diameter of the second largest follicle of 5.83 ± 1.56 mm. Biscarde et al (2012) obtained follicular growth rate of 0.8 ± 0.4 mm/day, and 1.3 ± 1.3 mm/day, using hormonal doses at the Bai Hui acupoint and false acupoint in sheep, respectively, suggesting the efficiency of using hormonal doses associated with pharmacopuncture even in other species.…”

“…Morotti et al (2013) using a standard protocol for IATF obtained a 45.4% (10/22) gestation rate, lower than that found in both treatments of the present study when using only 30% of the eCG dose (Table 3). In a study with the caprine species, Cardoso et al (2018) also used 30% of the hormonal dosage commonly used in the synchronization protocol, but administered the dose at the acupuncture Hou Hai or IM and obtained 70.6% and 85.7% pregnancy rate, respectively. These results suggest that reduced doses of eCG can be used in hormonal protocols without affecting their efficiency.…”

“…Some hormonal protocols associated with pharmacopuncture for reducing hormone doses and consequently the cost of protocols showed the same level of efficacy as that of traditional protocols, as described by Simplício (2008), who worked with goats and sheep, and by Cardoso et al (2018) and Souza et al (2019), who worked with goats. Komatsu et al (1998) showed that the Hou Hai acupoint can be used to induce estrus in zebu cows via the needling stimulus.…”

Use of hormonal subdoses applied in Bai Hui acupuncture in estrus synchronization protocols for goats

“…These hormones are most commonly administered by intramuscular injection. However, other routes of administration have been tested, including injection into the Bai Hui (MARTINEZ et al, 2007;ARAÚJO, 2016), Hou Hai (ARAÚJO, 2016;CARDOSO et al, 2018), B22 and B23 (KÜÇÜKASLAN et al, 2015) acupoints.…”

“…According to Altman (2006), the acupoint is stimulated via pressure created by presence of the drug when it is deposited in the local subcutaneous tissue, potentiating the drug's pharmacological effect. Other studies have sought to define minimal effective doses when hormones are administrated by different routes in the goat estrus synchronization protocols (FONSECA et al, 2005;ARAÚJO, 2016;CARDOSO et al, 2018) and according to Luna et al (2006) the injection of reduced doses into acupoints produces effects of similar strength and duration to those produced by the conventional dose, while causing fewer side effects.…”