2007, Vol 2 No 2, Article 19

Plasma Glucose and Insulin Profiles in Ketotic Buffaloes

Shabir A. Teli ¹ & S. L. Ali ²

Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Sciences,

 Anjora, Durg (CG), India

(Part of MVSc research work, Thesis submitted to IGKVV, Raipur)

¹ Department of Animal Husbandry, Kashmir

² Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Sciences,

 Anjora, Durg (CG), India

ABSTRACT

A simultaneous decrease in the values of plasma glucose and insulin was observed in 24 ketotic buffaloes. The mean glucose level before treatment was estimated to 37.68 ± 0.84 mg/dl, whereas insulin concentration estimated to a mean of 15.82 ± 0.35 µu/ ml. At clinical recovery elevated values to a mean of 59.00 ± 1.31 mg/dl and 24.37 ± 1.51 µu/ ml respectively were estimated. Thus resulting in a corresponding improvement in the values of both parameters.

KEY WORDS

Ketosis, Glucose, Insulin, Buffaloes

INTRODUCTION

In a heavy milking animal 60% to 80% of the blood glucose is utilized by the mammary glands in the production of milk (Annison and Linzell, 1963). Normally ruminants have low levels of blood glucose and even slight falls are enough to put the animal in a hypoglycemic state. If not relieved the animals metabolism shifts and further blood bio-chemical alterations including elevated ketone bodies, free fatty acids, tri-glycerides and cholesterol with decrease in calcium and insulin are seen (Singh and Kasaralikar, 1990 ; Sakai et al, 1996) and clinically the animal is presented as ketotic.

The present study evaluates plasma glucose and insulin levels before and after successful treatment of ketotic buffaloes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted on twenty four clinically ketotic buffaloes. The animals were randomly allotted to four treatment groups (Table 1).  Paired blood samples were aseptically collected by venipuncture, in vials containing heparin and sodium fluoride respectively and carried to laboratory on ice. Plasma was separated by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 15 minutes and stored at -20º C till further testing.

Blood glucose (mg/dl) was estimated by GOD/POD (enzymatic) method (Tietz, 1976) whereas, plasma insulin (µu/ ml) concentration was determined by ELISA as per Sacks (1994).
The biochemical changes were evaluated by analyzing the data using paired “t” test as per standard procedures out lined by Snedecor and Cochran (1989). 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The mean values of plasma glucose and insulin prior to treatment were 37.68 + 0.84 mg/dl and 15.82 + 0.35 µu/ml. A corresponding and significant (p< 0.01) increase in the values of both the parameters was observed following the different treatment regimens. The means recorded at clinical recovery were 59.00 + 1.31 mg/dl and 24.37 + 1.51 µu/ml. The intra assay coefficient of variation was estimated to be 8.53.

The present observations corroborate the findings of Hove (1974) who reported a corresponding decrease in plasma glucose and insulin in ketotic cows. Decrease in palsma glucose was earlier reported by Kronfeld (1980), Chugh et al (1992) in cows and Anantwar & Singh (1993), Ambore et al (2001) and Mandali et al (2002) in lactating buffaloes.  Hypoinsulinemia remains a constant feature in a ketotic animal (Kolb, 1977). The decrease in the insulin levels could be attributed to the diminished ability of  β–cells of endocrine pancreas to synthesize and release insulin (Hove 1978 , Dokovic at al 1998).

During the present trial, administration of glucose in conjugation with insulin/dextran elevated blood glucose levels which might have in turn triggered the synthesis and further release of insulin from the pancreas.

REFERENCES

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Table 1

Design for therapeutic evaluation in bubaline ketosis

^A Wocktrose : Wockhard Ltd. Mumbai, India
^B Lentard : Knoll Pharmaceuticals Ltd.m, Mumbai, India
^C Xylitol : S.D. Fine-chem Ltd. Mumbai India
^D Liquid Glucose : Raja Ram Maize Products, Ranjnandgaon (CG)