Amer M
Hussin*
Anatomy Department, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Baghdad University, Baghdad, Iraq
*Corresponding
author: Amer M Hussin, Assist. Prof.
Anatomy Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, Baghdad university,
Baghdad, Iraq. Email: amer_hussain42@yahoo.com
Received Date: 30
July, 2017; Accepted Date: 30 August, 2017; Published Date: 08
September, 2017
1. Introduction
Guyton (1981)[2]reported thatthe sodium
was the main ion that forms and keeps the size of the extracellular fluid and
the osmotic pressure. Coles (1986)[3]statedthat
the Na values in the serum of ruminants were 132-152 ml Eq/ liter, while the K
values were 3.91-5.8 mlEq/ liter, and the value of Na elevated after
dehydration. Choudhary et al.(1995)[4]found that
the Na level in dromedary camel was 152.85±6.30
and the K level was 4.53±0.26. Dehydration leads
to decrease the blood plasma size and consequently elevation in the Na
concentrationfrom 154±2 to 191±3 in dromedary camels in Morocco [5]. Toma and Al-lami(2000)[6]found,
in their study on Iraqi mountain goat,that Na ion concentration in the serumin
summer time was higher than in winter time, whileK ion registeredlower values
in summer time compared to winter time.On the other hand, Wang-Q et al 1996
reported that the Na in Bactrian camel was low.El -tahir et al.(2010)[7]reported that the serum elements of dromedary
camels ranges were 97.8-246.1 mEq/liter for Na and 3.22- 8.70 mEq/liter for K.
2.
Materials and Methods
2.1. Animals
Forty-three healthy male camels of 1-4-year-old were collected from
Abattoir of Al-Najaf Province, Iraq in Summer and winter times.
2.2. Blood samples
Blood samples were collected from jugular veinsafter slaughtering at 4-7
AM. Blood samples were collected in serum collection tubes and the serum was
separated by centrifugation at 2500 RPM, thenpreserved at-18
. Serum analysis was carried out after 3-4 hours of
collection.
2.3. Urine samples
Urine samples were collectedfrom the urinary bladder directly after
slaughtering. Urine samples were collected in sterilized clean tubes
2.4. Biochemical analysis
Serum or urine samples were analyzed for concentrations of (Na) and
(K).Flame photometer was used for measurement of concentrations of these two
electrolites (ml Eq/liter) according to Wooton 1964[1].
By mixing 0.2 ml of urine or blood with 19.8ml of distilled water to get
dilutionfactorof1:100, then put it in the instrument and compared with the
standard solutions of the instrument. The stock standard sodium was prepared by
dissolving 11.69 gm of Na chloride in one liter of distilled water while the
stock standard K was prepared by dissolving 0.74 gm of Kclin one liter of
distilled water. Then the instrument reading was used in this equation
The concentration of serum or urine (ml Eq
/liter)= The reading x 100
3.
Results and Discussion
The two elements, Na and K, work together to keep animal bodybalanced.
Animal body need Na to maintain proper ionic balance in fluids and tissues.
Water follows Na, and any Na deficiency might lead to dehydration[8].The current study found that both Na and K were
significantly affectedby the environmental changes, as both electrolites
weresignificantly elevatedin blood and urine during summer time compared to
winter time, however, the Na/K ratio was higher in summer compared to winter.
This was similar to the findings of Pandy and Roy 1969 [9]in
Indian buffaloes and Ghosal et al. 1973 [10]in
Indian camels. Moreover, the Na/K ratio of the serum was 3.4 times than the
ratio of the urine (Table 1 and 2). The study
also agreed with Yagilet al 1975, Guyton 1981 [11]and
Ali et al 2012 [12]who stated that dehydration
leads to elevate the Na level in the serum of the camel to keep the water in
his body and agreed withAl-Janabi and Al- Jalili 1990 [8]who
reported that Na level elevated in the blood due to increase its absorption
from the intestine. The values of the present study were within the range of
the findings of El-Tahir et al 2010 [7]. On the
other hand, the study was in variance with Blinco and Brody 1951 [13]and Kamal et al 1962 [14]who
reported thatthere were no significant differences in the values of Na and K in
the plasma of cattle during elevation of temperature. The study partly agreed
with Yagil and Berlyne 1976[15]who registered
only Na level elevationin the urine during dehydration followed by rapid.
Rehydrationwhile K metabolism was not elevated, and with Toma and
Al-Lami 2000 [6]who registered Na ion elevation
in the serumof mountain goat. Vander 1980 [16]hypothesized
that in summer time,camel increases the electrolytes of the serum in order to
regulate and acclimate extra cellular fluids especially the volume of the blood
and plasma compared to intraand inter cellular fluids by means of the osmotic
gradient. This explained by increasing the size of the plasma and decreasing
the intracellular fluids compared to other animals. The study regarded the
increase of electrolytes in the body of the camel, againsthot environments,
asan acclimatization mechanism. The study concluded that the camel behaves, in
his environment, as a hypertonic mass to save the waterin his body.

Figure 1: Showing the effect of season
on the concentration of minerals in the serum of Camel.

Figure 2: Showing the effect of season
on the concentration ofminerals in the urine of Camel.
Season
|
No. of Animals
|
Serum
|
Na
|
K
|
Na/K Ratio
|
Winter
|
25
|
108±8.42*
|
5.74±0.26*
|
18.8
|
Summer
|
18
|
143±1.34*
|
6.6±0.24*
|
21.7
|
Mean ± Standard error.
*= Presence of Significant differences (P<0.05) between seasons.
|
Table 1: Showing the effect of season on the concentration of minerals in the serum of Camel.
Season
|
No. of Animals
|
Urine
|
Na
|
K
|
Na/K Ratio
|
Winter
|
25
|
159.84±25.55*
|
28.50±3.01*
|
5.6
|
Summer
|
18
|
249.9±29.2*
|
38.98±3.07*
|
6.4
|
Mean ± Standard error.
*= Presence of Significant differences ( P<0.05)between seasons.
|
Table 2: Showing the effect of season on the concentration of minerals in the urine of Camel.
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