To assess the effect of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition on the efficiency of the fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI), 69 goats were divided randomly into two groups: enalapril (n = 35) and control (n = 34). In the experiment, all animals underwent the protocol of fixed-time artificial insemination for 12 days. Enalapril group received enalapril maleate dissolved in saline (Enalapril, Lab Teuto Ltda) subcutaneously at the following doses: 0.2 mg/kg/day in D0-D2; 0.3 mg/kg/day in D3-D6 and 0.4 mg/kg/day in D7-D11. The control group received the corresponding volume of 0.9% saline solution. We performed a single insemination 36 hr after sponge removal using frozen semen from two adult male goats with recognized fertility. The ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis was 30 days after the artificial insemination (AI). There was significant increase in pregnancy rates and twinning as well as a decrease in foetal loss in animals receiving enalapril (p < .01). The use of ACE inhibitors during the TAI protocol was shown to be a promising alternative to increase the efficiency of such reproductive biotechnology.

Palavras-chave: Plantas tóxicas, malformação, potencial tóxicoABSTRACT: Reproductive toxicity study in Wistar rats treated with hydroalcoholic extract of the pods of bordão-de-velho (Samanea tubulosa Benth).The aim of this study was to evaluate possible effects of pods from bordão-de-velho (Samanea tubulosa benth) extract on the reproduction of female rats.The extract was prepared by maceration wtith ethanol of dried and crushed pods, then it was concentrated in rotary evaporator. The pregnant Wistar rats were treated with a dose of 75 mg.100 g -1 of body weight of Samanea tubulosa extract, by gavage , whereas the control group received 1ml.100g -1 of saline by the same route for 19 days. After the euthanasia of the animals at day 20th,the following variables were analyzed: fetal body weight, weight of fetuses and placentas, number of corpora lutea, resorption points, live and dead fetuses and number of embryonic implantations. The extract from S. tubulosa pods, at the dose studied, showed toxicity causing fetal abnormalities, fetal resorption and pronounced decrease in the weight of offspring at birth. On the other hand, , the treatment with extract of S. tubulosa pods had no influence over corpora lutea and implantation numbers.

The goal of the present study was to assess the viability of the cryopreserved ovine (Ovis aries) semen, upon supplementation with α-terpineol and rosemary essential oil (Rosmarinus officinalis). The collection of the semen from six rams formed the pool, collected once a week during 7 weeks. The diluted semen was packed into straws (0.25 ml) and frozen in a TK 3000® device. Both α-terpineol and rosemary essential oil were added in the concentrations of 6.25, 12.5 and 25 μg/ml to the TRIS-yolk extender forming six experimental groups; the control group received only the TRIS-yolk extender. The samples were analyzed after thawing regarding motility and vigor, integrity of the plasmatic membrane, thermoresistance test (TT), mitochondrial membrane potential, acrosomal integrity and computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). The levels of the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were also analyzed. According to the results obtained with the addition of the concentrations of 6.25, 12.5 and 25 μg/ ml of α-terpineol, significantly reduced the parameters assessed through CASA (VSL, LIN and WOB) and TT. Rosemary essential oil did not have deleterious effects on the spermatozoa and did not reduce the oxidative stress in the concentrations studied, although it presented absolute values higher than those of the control in several parameters. Alpha-terpineol in the concentrations studied was not able to reduce the oxidative stress and had toxic effect over the ovine spermatozoa.

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