Serum biochemical study of major elements of captive Asiatic
Lions Panthera leo persica
R.G.Jani 1 & R.H. Sabapara2
Wildlife Health
Care Centre, College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, Anand, Gujarat 388001, India
Email: 1 rgjani@aau.in
Date of
publication (online): 26 February 2010
Date of
publication (print): 26 February 2010
ISSN 0974-7907
(online) | 0974-7893 (print)
Editor: Jacob V. Cheeran
Manuscript
details:
Ms # o1849
Received 01
September 2007
Final received
07 January 2009
Finally accepted
15 June 2009
Citation: Jani, R.G. & R.H. Sabapara(2010). Serum biochemical study of major elements of captive Asiatic Lions Panthera leo persica. Journal of Threatened Taxa 2(2): 724.
Copyright: © R.G. Jani & R.H. Sabapara 2009.
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium
for non-profit purposes, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate
credit to the authors and the source of publication.
Acknowledgement: All the staff
of zoos and Veterinary College who helped in this study.
Serum biochemistry is an
important clinical diagnostic tool for understanding physiological
abnormalities. There is a paucity of
information on normal biochemical baseline reference values in Asiatic Lions (Panthera leo persica) in India, and this paper presents data
obtained from captive individuals.
A total of 44 serum samples were
obtained from individuals (20 males, 24 females) resident in zoos in Gujarat (Vadodara, Junagadh, Rajkot and Ahmedabad). Animals
underwent a thorough physical examination using a squeeze cage before
collection of samples. They were found
to be healthy. During the study no
changes were made in diet or other husbandry practices. Approximately 15ml of blood was drawn; serum
was separated and transferred to a sterile plain vial and stored at -200C until
further analysis.
Standard reagent kits (Bayer
diagnostic laboratory, Baroda) were used to analyze serum samples for levels
of: alkaline phosphatase(AKP), glucose (glu), blood urea
nitrogen (BUN), cholesterol (Chole), creatinine (creat), alanine amino transferase(ALT), aspartate amino transferase(AST), total protein(TP), albumin(Alb), globulin(Glb)
and triglyceride (Trig). Serum chemistry estimations were performed using a
semi-automatic serum chemistry analyser (Mod- BT-224,
Trans Asia, Bombay).
Results from the analysis of
serum from captive lions are presented in Table 1. No significant variation was observed between
zoos or sexes. The mean value of
alkaline phosphatase (AKP) was 52.09±5.40 u/l, not
significantly different from values reported by Wallach & Boever (1983; 17 U/l) and ISIS (Anon 1999; 33 U/l). Serum glucose was 95.04±4.27 mg/dl,
consistent with the value reported by Christi et al. (1998). Also consistent with previously published
data for Asiatic and African lions were serum BUN (32.14±2.52), cholesterol (158.27±8.05
mg/dl), creatinine (2.35±0.11 mg/dl), ALT and AST
(41.31±3.7 U/l and 32.75±4.21 U/l respectively), total serum protein (8.2±0.24 g%), albumin (3.34±0.13 g %), globulin (5.07±0.25 g%) and
triglyceride (30.08±1.85 mg/dl).
References
Anon (1999). International
Species Information System Panthera leo. Apple
Valley, U.S.A., 41-45pp.
Christi, K.S.,
R.H. Sabapara & V.P. Vadodaria(1998).Certain haematological profiles in Asiatic lioness (Panthera leo persica). Zoos’ Print 13(1): 17-19
Tanwar, R.K. (1987). Some normal haematological and
biochemical values of blood in Asian lions. Indian Veterinary Journal64: 719-721.
Wallach, J.D.
& W.J. Boever (1983). Diseases of Exotic Animals. Medical and Surgical
Management. W.B. Saunders Co., 349-350pp.