Subchronic toxicity and reproduction effects of tri-n-butyltin oxide in Japanese quail

A subchronic toxicity/reproduction study was performed in Japanese quails that were fed a diet containing 0, 24, 60, and 150 mg tri-n-butyltin oxide (TBTO) per kg basal diet for 6 weeks. Eggs produced during the 6 weeks of treatment were incubated and hatched, and chicks hatched from eggs collected in weeks 5 and 6 of exposure were reared for 2 weeks. In parent quail, neither diminished food consumption nor any overt toxic or histopathologic signs were observed following exposure to TBTO. A statistically significant decrease in hatchability and increase in percent of chicks found dead in the shell were observed following TBTO exposure at concentrations of 60 and 150 mg/kg food. However, no significant, adverse effects were recorded on total egg production, eggshell thickness and cracked eggs. Blood chemistry parameters of birds measured at the last day of TBTO treatment revealed a statistically significant decrease in serum aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) enzyme activity among both sexes in all treatment groups. In addition, a statistically significant dose-related decrease in serum calcium level was observed in females only, while serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were statistically significantly reduced in male birds in all treatment groups (approximately 50% of the controls).Moreover, a significant decrease in hepatic microsomal 7-ethoxyresorufin (EROD) activity was recorded in females fed 24 and 60 mg TBTO/kg diet and males fed 60 and 150 mg TBTO/kg diet, whereas pentoxyresorufin-o-deetylase (PROD) activity was only significantly decreased in males fed 150 mg TBTO/kg diet. No TBTO related effects were found on serum alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), serum total thyroxine (TT₄), luteinizing hormone (LH) or retinol levels in both sexes. In summary, TBTO affected mainly reproduction in Japanese quail at a dose where no overt toxicity is observed.     

Mirex-induced hepatic changes in chickens,Japanese quail,and rats

Mirex¹ was fed in the diet to chickens at 0 to 160 ppm for 12 and 16 weeks, to Japanese quail at 0 to 80 ppm for 12 weeks, and to rats at 0 to 100 ppm for 2 and 4 weeks. Mirex did not affect the concentration of protein or cytochrome P450 in hepatic microsomes of chickens or Japanese quail, nor did it affect hydroxylation of aniline or demethylation of aminopyrine. However, structural changes were apparent in livers of chickens fed mirex at 10 ppm and above and included regions of necrosis and nonspecific cellular aberrations and alterations of sinusoids and bile canaliculi. Mirex caused liver enlargement in rats and increased microsomal protein and cytochrome P450 but did not affect hydroxylation of aniline or demethylation of aminopyrine. Hepatic structural changes in rats that were associated with mirex included proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum and degeneration of some bile canaliculi.     

Concentration of orally administered and chronically fed 95mTc in Japanese quail eggs

A chronic feeding study using 95mTc incorporated into alfalfa and an acute study where 95mTc was amended to alfalfa showed that about 8.4% of ingested Tc was transferred to eggs. After 10 days of chronic feeding, 80% of the Tc was in yolk, 20% in albumin and less than 1% in shell and associated membranes. At necropsy, technetium concentrations in the three largest oocytes were nearly equal. The biological half-time for Tc was about one to two days in acute studies. Results from the chronic feeding study also indicated that Tc levels in albumin reach a maximum between three and five days while maximum yolk concentration is attained in about six to seven days. Albumin concentrations declined about 20-50% after Day 6.     

Hematology and serum biochemistry of Japanese quail fed dietary tri-n-butyltin oxide during reproduction

During a subchronic toxicity and reproduction study with tri-n-butyltin oxide (TBTO) concentrations of 0, 24, 60, and 150 mg/kg diet in Japanese quail, preliminary data on hematology and serum biochemistry were obtained. The absence of serious effects in blood parameters in both adult quail and developing chicks are discussed in view of the adverse effects of TBTO on reproduction.     

Effects of methyltestosterone on reproduction in the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Although the hormone-mediated effects of the synthetic androgenic hormone methyltestosterone (MT) are well characterized in mammals, little is known about endocrine and other toxic effects on reproduction in birds. In a one-generation study, MT was administered to adult Japanese quail (12 pairs per group) at dietary dose levels of 0, 10, 50, and 110 ppm for a period of 3 weeks. Reproductive performance was severely affected in the groups receiving 50 and 110 ppm MT. In females, the egg-laying rate was reduced not only related to the dose administered but also to the duration of treatment. The administration of 110 ppm, and to a lesser extent, of 50 ppm MT resulted in an immediate and dramatic decrease in the total number of eggs laid, which complicated reliable assessment of other reproduction-related parameters. In males, the findings suggested inhibition of spermatogenesis at dose levels of 50 ppm and above, resulting in a subsequent reduction in male fertility.     

Effects of fentin hydroxide on reproduction of the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

In a one-generation reproductive study, the fungicidal compound triphenyltin hydroxide (fentin) was administered to adult Japanese quail for 6 weeks at dietary levels of 3 and 30 ppm. Reproduction was significantly impaired in the high-dose group. The principal adverse finding was a marked increase in embryonic mortality, resulting in a lower hatch rate. Furthermore, a reduction in egg production was observed with ongoing duration of treatment. Most of the other reproduction-related parameters were not affected. The in ovo losses are assumed to result from a direct toxic effect of the test substance on chick embryos. At the low dietary level, reproduction was not altered. In contrast to the obvious reproductive toxicity, there was only limited evidence of adverse treatment-related findings in the adult birds. However, because such minor effects as an increase in mean liver weight, which was accompanied by macroscopic liver findings and a decrease in T4 serum concentration, were still seen at 3 ppm, a no-observed-effect level could not be established.     

The effect of dietary cholesterol level on lipid status and initiation of atherosclerosis in Japanese quail

The effect of variations in dietary cholesterol level on the development of hyperlipidemia, tissue cholesterol status and incidence of atherosclerosis was investigated in male Japanese quail of strain SEA (Susceptible to Experimental Atherosclerosis). Groups of 12, five-week-old, birds were fed one of four purified diets. The basal diet contained (weight %): soyprotein, 35; beef tallow, 10; glucose, 46; three atherogenic diets were prepared by replacing glucose with 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0% cholesterol in the basal diet formula. After 4 weeks, birds were killed and serum, thoracic aortae, brachiocephalic arteries, and liver were taken for analysis. Serum cholesterol was increased (relative to basal values) by 15, 127 and 229% for birds fed the 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0% cholesterol diets respectively; increases were due to elevations of cholesterol in the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions. Hepatic and arterial cholesterol levels increased with increasing dietary cholesterol levels, but there were significant, between-group differences in the case of liver cholesterol only. Lesion incidence was 0, 8, 43 and 50% for birds fed the basal, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.0% cholesterol diets respectively. The small dot-like, yellow lesions were found predominantly in the right brachiocephalic artery and to a lesser extent in the thoracic aorta; no lesions were found in the left brachiocephalic artery. The extreme rapidity with which Japanese quail of strain SEA develop early atherosclerotic lesions makes them an attractive animal model for studying the early development of atherosclerosis in man.     

The prevalence and retention of lead pellets in Japanese quail

Thirty-six Japanese quail (18 control birds, 18 lead-dosed birds) were used. The 18 quail were dosed with #4 lead weight that were orally inserted into the proventriculus. Delta-aminolevulunic acid dehydrase (ALAD) activity in erythrocytes in the dosed quail decreased 90% (p < 0.01) after one week as compared with the undosed quail. This inhibition of ALAD activity in erythrocytes indicates lead exposure. Radiographics were obtained at 0, 1, 4, 9, 22, and 32 days. The lead pellets remained in the gizzard and became smaller in 4 days. At day 22, after the lead treatment, in 8 quail of the treated quail 12, the lead pellets disappeared. At day 32, all lead pellets disappeared. These findings indicate that the ingested lead pellets are absorbed gradually in the intestine. The lead concentrations in the blood, liver, kidney, and femur of the lead-dosed quail were significantly higher than in the unclosed quail until the 6th week. At week 2, the lead concentration of the proventriculus, gizzard, gizzard contents, duodenum, small intestine, and cecum in the dosed quail was significantly higher. Lead concentration of feces was significantly higher at weeks 2 and 4 (p < 0.01). Throughout this study, no lead pellets were found in the feces.     

Attractiveness of chickens and bobwhite quail for Culex nigripalpus

An experiment to determine if wild Culex nigripalpus preferentially enter lard-can traps baited with chickens or bobwhite quail was conducted. A strong preference for the chicken-baited trap was observed. Further development of transmission models for St. Louis encephalitis virus in southern Florida should consider increased biting rates on sentinel chickens and the consequences for the interpretation of sentinel seroconversion data.     

The effects of subacute and chronic exposure to 4-aminopyridine on reproduction in coturnix quail

Summary When male and female coturnix quail (Coturnix coturnix) were given a single subacute oral dose (5.62 mg/kg) of the avian frightening agent 4-aminopyridine (4AP) and paired with untreated mates, there was no effect on the reproductive performance of males; egg production of females was reduced the third week after treatment but recovered during the fourth week. Chronic exposure to 31.6, 100, and 316 ppm of 4AP in the diet of mated pairs did not affect reproductive performance during or after the 4- or 6-week period the chemical was fed, but no birds fed 1,000 ppm produced live chicks after treatment began and all died within 3 weeks. The 28-day LC₅₀ of 4AP was determined to be 447 ppm for male coturnix and 562 ppm for females. F₁ progeny from quail fed 31.6, 100, and 316 ppm 4AP and randomly mated at maturity showed no reproductive effects from their parents' exposure.     

Effects of 77 chemicals on reproduction in male and female coturnix quail

Seventy-one chemicals were administered as single oral doses at about 50% of the estimated LD₅₀ to adult male Coturnix quail (Coturnix coturnix). None reduced the fertility of eggs produced by female mates by more than 50%. Of six additional chemicals similarly administered to female quail at 24 to 56% of the estimated LD₅₀, only one, P,P-bis(1-aziridinyl)-N-phenylphosphinic amide, reduced expected egg fertility by more than 50%.     

Barbiturate-induced sleeping times,liver weights,and reproduction of cottontail rabbits after mirex ingestion

Summary Captive female cottontail rabbits on two nutritional regimes were fed 20 or 26.6 ppm Mirex for 8 weeks after which they were removed from treatment for 3 weeks and mated to untreated males. A nonsignificant decrease in feed consumption was observed in Mirex-treated rabbits. Mirex treatment did not significantly affect reproduction. Sodium pentobarbital-induced sleeping times measured after the rabbits had been on treatment for 8 weeks and again after treatment had ceased for 3 weeks were significantly shorter for Mirex-treated rabbits. Liver weights were significantly greater in the Mirex-treated rabbits. These results indicate that hepatic microsomal enzyme activity was increased due to Mirex exposure. Furthermore, since the effects were observed after Mirex treatment had ceased, it appears that Mirex was stored in adipose tissue and later released as fat reserves were mobilized. Brain residues of Mirex were significantly greater in Mirex-treated rabbits.