CARD International Journal of Medical Science and Applied Biosciences (IJMSAB) ISSN: 2536-7331 (Print): 2536-734x (Online) Volume 2, Number 3, September 2017 http://www.casirmediapublishing.com Effect of Thyroxine and Testosterone on Body Weight and Gonad of Gonadectomized and Chemically Thyroidectomized Male Rain Quail, Coturnix coromandelica 1Anjali Srivastava, 1Eshita Pandey & 2Sabina Khanam 1Department of Zoology, D.G. College, Kanpur, India 2Department of Biological Sciences, Yobe State University, Nigeria Email: [email protected] Corresponding Author: Sabina Khanam ABSTRACT The role of thyroid may vary with species sex and phase of the annual cycle. We investigated in the present work the effects of thyroxine and testosterone on body weight and gonad in gonadectomized and chemically thyroidectomized male Rain quails (Coturnix coromandelica) for a period of ten days. Body weight decreased sig- nificant in chemically thyroidectomized birds treated with testosterone. In intact and chemically thyroidectomized groups significant reduction in testis weight was found in sub-group B and C when compared to control sub-group. Keywords: Testosterone, Rain Quail, Body weight, Thyroxine INTRODUCTION or delayed gonadal regression in In birds despite variations in the the European starling thyroid gonad relationship in dif- (Woitkewitsch, 1940; Wieselthier ferent species, very little is known and Van Tienhoven, 1972; Nicho- about the relative roles of the gon- las, et al., 1984) and in several trop- ads and the thyroid in reproduc- ical species (Thapliyal, 1969; tion (Assenmacher, 1973; Chaturvedi and Thapliyal, 1983) Thapliyal, 1981). In fowl and duck, provided that the operations were a certain minimum level of thyroid carried out prior to hormone is necessary for the photostimulation on long day- growth of the body, maturation of lengths. the juvenile gonad and even for the normal functioning of the It is quite likely that the increasing adult gonad (Turner, 1959; Hohn, day length of spring prepares the 1961), birds physiologically bringing them into a ready state from The role of thyroid may vary with where they can migrate as soon as species sex and phase of the annu- appropriate temperature is al cycle. Thyroidectomy inhibited reached. Such integration of envi- 1Anjali Srivastava, 1Eshita Pandey & 2Sabina Khanam | 49 Effect of Thyroxine and Testosterone on Body Weight and Gonad of Gonadectomized and Chemically Thyroidectomized Male Rain Quail, Coturnix coromandelica ronmental cues has been shown in sibility of diverse mechanisms for tropical birds e.g. of photoperiod spring and autumn migration. In and rainfall in baya weaver redheaded buntings artificial (Chandola Saklaini et al., 1990). photostomulation enhanced monoidination of T4 (Pant and In few species, the annual testos- Chandola Saklani, 1993). terone and thyroid cycles have been observed to exhibit almost However, while the influence of opposite patterns, with thyroid short and long term thyroidecto- hormone cycles occurring at their my on gonads and body weight of lowest levels during the annual a number of birds is known reproductive phase and at their (Henrick and Turner, 1966; peak levels during hibernaton, as Thapliyal, 1969, 1980, 1981; in the Richardson ground squirel, Thapliyal, et al., 1968; Wieselthier Spermophilus richardsonil and Van Tienhoven, 1972; (Demeniex and Henderson, 1978; Chandola, et al., 1973, 1974; Winston and Henderson, 1981) Thapliyal and Chaturvedi, 1976; and the ground squirrel Citellus Chaturvedi and Thapliyal, 1979), tridecemlineatus (Berges, 1981). information on the effects of On the other hand, thyroid and thyroxine and testosterone on testosterone cycles have also been quails is still scanty, therefore, it is shown to follow strictly parallel of interest to examine more closely patterns with an annual peak for the nature of thyroid-gondal inter- plasma thyroxine during the re- actions, we investigated in the productive season in the edible present work the effects of dormouse Glis glis (Jallageas and thyroxine and testosterone on Assenmacher, 1983). body weight and gonad in gonadectomized and chemically In many seasonally breeding tem- thyroidectomized male Rain quails perate zone birds, the annual in- (Coturnix coromandel ica) for a crease in day length (photoperiod) period of ten days. is the primary proximate factor used to initiate reproductive de- MATERIAL AND METHODS velopment (Dawson et al., 2001; Male Rain quails were procured Ramenofsky et al., 1992) studying locally and were accustomed in an the foraging ecology, harmonal aviary for about a fortnight. After and metabolic aspects of migration the period of acclimatization forty- in dark eyed juncos (Junco five birds of birds of approximate- hyemales) also suggested the pos- ly same body weight wee sorted 1Anjali Srivastava, 1Eshita Pandey & 2Sabina Khanam | 50 CARD International Journal of Medical Science and Applied Biosciences (IJMSAB) Volume 2, Number 3, September 2017 out from the stock, tagged and di- the last injection. After measuring vided into three groups of fifteen the testis size in situ (Group I and birds each according to the exper- III), testes were carefully separated imental schedule. First group was and weighted to the nearest mg. kept as intact group. Birds of The weight of the testis of control group 11 were castrated. Birds of and experimental groups, were group III were treated with analyzed by standard statistical antithyroid drug Neomercazole methods ('t' test). Body weight and and a tablet (5 mg.) was implanted gonad volume were compared subcutaneously in the nape region post treatment vs. pre-treatment in of neck near thyroid gland. Birds all the sub-groups. of all three main groups were sub- divided into three subgroups of RESULTS five birds each. Table-1 shows the tabular and graphical representation of mean Sub group A which served as con- body weight of different groups. trol was treated with 0.1 ml vehi- Body weight decreased signifi- cle (0.1% normal saline). The other cantly (P>0.005) in chemically sub-group was injected intramus- thyroidectomized birds treated cularly with tghyroxine with testosterone. Thyroxine and (Thyroxine T2 sigma T-2257) in a testosterone inhibited the increase dosage of 0.1 mg/bird/day in 0.1 in body weight following castra- ml. normal saline. Sub-group C tion, chemical thyroidectomy and was treated with testosterone in normal intact birds (Table 1). (Aquavieron) in a dosage of 0.3 Marginally significant (P>0.025) mg/bird/day. Each bird received a degrease was found in castrated total dose of 3 mg. testosterone in birds treated weight vehicle and ten days. thyroxine. In other groups body weight was not altered significant- The injections were given around ly (Table 1) 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. for ten days. All birds were examined at the be- Group – II ginning and the end of the exper- Thyroxine and Testosterone affects iment. At each observation all body weight (Pre and Post treat- birds were weighed individually ment) and testis volume (Pre and to the narest gm. and by explora- Post treatment) of male Rain quail, tory laparatomy size of the left tes- Coturnix-coromandelica. Vertical tis was measured in situ. The birds bars indicate . Vertical bars indi- were sacrificed the day following cate + SE of the mean values. Fig- 1Anjali Srivastava, 1Eshita Pandey & 2Sabina Khanam | 51 Effect of Thyroxine and Testosterone on Body Weight and Gonad of Gonadectomized and Chemically Thyroidectomized Male Rain Quail, Coturnix coromandelica ures in parentheses denote num- et al., 2000). ber of birds in each group. Group II consist of castrated birds. Signif- In Rufous-Winged sparrows sea- icance Pre Vs. Post treatment. sonal changes in photoperiod are not reflected in marked changes in Testis Volume plasma LH secretion (Deviche et In all the three sub-groups of in- al., 2006). tact and chemically thyroidectomized group highly DISCUSSION significant (P > 0.005) decrease in One of the chief aims of the pre- the testis volume was found after sent study was to explore the pos- treatment (Table 1) thyroxide was sible occurrence of thyroid-testis found to be most gonado- interactions. Extensive experimen- inhibitory. Birds treated with tes- tation in birds has certainly pro- tosterone also showed inhibition duced evidence that reciprocal in- but the extent of inhibition was hibitory interaction between thy- much less than the thyroxine in- roid and testosterone secretion is a jected birds, although the dose of basic mechanism determining the testosterone administered was timing of both the sexual and thrice of thyroxine that has been molting cycles (Assenmacher and administered to the experimental Jallageas, 1980). Fairly similar tes- birds. tis-thyroid interaction appears to prevail in the European badger Testis Weight (Maurel, et al., 1977), the red fox In intact and chemically (Maurel and Boissin, 1981) and the thyroidectomized groups signifi- mink (Boissin-Agassee, et al., cant reduction in testis weight was 1981), since they all exhibit testis found in sub-group B (P > 0.01 and and thyroid cycles with inversed P > 0.005) and C (P > 0.005) when phases. compared to control sub-group. In many species of birds, environ- Thyroid hormone administration mental information initiates re- causes gonadal collapse productive development prior to (Thapliyal, 1969, 1978, 1981) and the onset of optimal conditions for gonadal stimulation raising offspring while other envi- (Assenmacher, 1973; Lal and ronmental information regulates Thapliyal