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Histopathological study of ovaries of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) exposed to different thymol concentrations

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Abstract

Thymol is a monoterpene with proven acaricide action for several tick species. In addition to killing these ectoparasites, thymol can also reduce oviposition and egg hatch rate. However, the effects of thymol on the morphophysiology of tick ovaries are still unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the morphophysiological changes caused by this active principle in ovaries of Rhipicephalus sanguineus after a 6-day feeding period, through the application of morphohistochemical techniques. After the feeding period, a total of 50 females were divided into five groups and immersed in the following solutions: (I) distilled water (control), (II) 30 % ethanol (control), (III) 1.25 mg/mL thymol, (IV) 2.5 mg/mL thymol, and (V) 5.0 mg/mL thymol. The experimental groups were kept in a climatic chamber (27 ± 1 °C; RH 80 ± 10 %) for 5 days. After this period, morphological (hematoxylin/eosin) and histochemical (von Kossa) techniques were applied after remotion of the ovaries. The morphological results revealed large vacuoles in germ cells at different developmental stages and invaginations that represent deformations in the chorionic membrane. From the results obtained in this study, it was concluded that thymol interfered with the development of oocytes, which showed degeneration signs. The treatment containing 5.0 mg/mL thymol affected more accentuately the morphological development. Moreover, thymol also altered the calcium content of yolk granules, which generally showed an intense staining for this element.

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Acknowledgments

Fundação de Amparo à Pequisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) e Fundação de Amparo à Pequisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n - Campus Universitário Bairro Martelos, 36036-330, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil

    Renata da Silva Matos, Erik Daemon, Laryssa Xavier Araújo & Tatiane Pinheiro Lopes Novato

  2. Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Biociências, Avenida 24 A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, CEP 13506-900, SP, Brazil

    Maria Izabel Camargo-Mathias, Karim Christina Scopinho Furquim, Bruno Rodrigues Sampieri & Rafael Neodini Remédio

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  1. Renata da Silva Matos
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  2. Erik Daemon
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  3. Maria Izabel Camargo-Mathias
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Correspondence to Renata da Silva Matos.

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da Silva Matos, R., Daemon, E., Camargo-Mathias, M.I. et al. Histopathological study of ovaries of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) exposed to different thymol concentrations. Parasitol Res 113, 4555–4565 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4145-9

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