A MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTIC OF RATS SPLEEN AT PRE-SLAUGHTER STRESS UNDER THE USE OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES

Material and Methods. The spleen extract, the Echinacea and Chinese lemon extracts (70° alcohol solutions), and the sprouted grains were added to the diet of the rats of all experimental groups by aerosol method as antistressors and immunomodulators in pre-slaughter period (five days before slaughter). Only 70° alcohol solution in the same volume and the same method was added to the diet of the rats of the control group five days before slaughter. The experiment continued for five days in the vivarium; laboratory animals were taken from the cage in turn, weighed and decapitated under ether anaesthesia. Research results were processed statistically using the software package Statistica 6.0 and Microsoft Excel for Windows XP. Probability differences were assessed by Student t-test. Results and Discussion. Some changes in the morphological structure of the spleen tissue were observed at pre-slaughter stress in laboratory animals. The histological investigation of the rat spleen of the experimental groups established a distinct fission of the red and white pulp. The red pulp formed the bulk of the organ's parenchyma and presented as a net of reticular fibers passing into the collagen fibers, fibers trabeculae and capsules. Reticular mesh is permeated by venous sinuses, with erythrocytes, lymphocytes, plasma cells, white blood cells and other blood components located in the loops. The largest number of lymphatic nodes with react centers were formed in laboratory animals additionally fed with spleen extract (I experimental group); changes of their average area were found, compared to control. Conclusions. The results obtained in model experiments on laboratory animals in the vivarium can be used in research on agricultural animals to prevent the effect of their pre-slaughter stress on the quality of meat products. Key words: rats, spleen, pre-slaughter stress, spleen extract, echinacea and Chinese lemon extracts, sprouted grains