Use of plasma gastrin and pepsinogen levels as diagnostic markers of abomasal dysfunction in Marwari sheep of arid tract.

摘要

Hormone gastrin is secreted from gastrin cells of pyloric region of abomasum into the blood circulation, thence to reach the parietal cells and is an important stimulator of acid and pepsinogen secretion. Pepsinogen, a proenzyme is an inactive form of pepsin which is the most important proteolytic enzyme of gastric juice. To assess the role of gastrin and pepsinogen in the diagnosis of abomasal parasitism or disorders, the gastrin and pepsinogen levels were determined in the plasma of Marwari breed of sheep belonging to farmers' stock of arid tract of Rajasthan state, India. The animals, from which the blood samples collected, were grouped into healthy, haemonchus infected and drought affected. In healthy animals sampling was carried as one time random sampling and three times sampling. The overall mean values of plasma gastrin and pepsinogen in healthy Marwari sheep were 103.45+or-10.41 pg/ml and 153.61+or-13.21 mU tyrosine, respectively. In haemonchus infected and drought affected sheep a significant (p<=0.05) increase was observed in the mean values for both the parameters in comparison to that of healthy stock. The highest values for both the parameters were observed in haemonchus infected animals. The sampling time did not affect the gastrin and pepsinogen levels. This showed that feeding did not affect the levels of gastrin and pepsinogen. The responses of gastrin and pepsinogen in affected sheep indicated that they can be used as diagnostic markers in animals affected with abomasal dysfunctions. Probably the presence of parasites or inanimate objects in pica damaged the mucosa causing an impairment of abomasal function. Damage to mucosa is related with higher gastrin and pepsinogen release. Further the results suggested that one time random sampling can be carried out in suspected clinical cases for the determination of plasma gastrin and pepsinogen. The data obtained can be used as a base line for the future studies in this direction in Marwari sheep or other breeds of sheep.