title: Epidural vs intramuscular administration of lecirelin, a GnRH analogue, for the resolution of follicular cysts in dairy cows.
abstract: Bovine follicular cysts are an ovarian disorder of dairy cows associated with abnormal estrous behaviour and infertility. The treatment of choice is intramuscular administration of a GnRH analogue, which acts by triggering pituitary release of LH. However, the presence of GnRH and GnRH receptors on spinal cord and ovary in some species, and the kind of innervation of the ovary, let us hypothesize that GnRH and its analogues may also act when administered by epidural route, as happens for other drugs. Therefore the aim of this study was to compare the effects of epidural vs intramuscular administration of lecirelin (a GnRH analogue) on FC regression, estrus detection and pregnancy outcomes. The study was conducted on 220 Friesian cows affected by follicular cysts, divided among 4 groups: Group L(epid) and Group L(im) received, respectively 50 μg of lecirelin in the epidural space and intramuscular; Group C(epid) and Group C(im) were used as control groups. In Group L(epid), estrus induction and pregnancy rates were significantly higher than in Group L(im). The results of this study show that the epidural administration of lecirelin promoted the remission of follicular cysts and an improvement of reproductive parameters compared to intramuscular administration. Thus, an alternative therapeutical approach is available for FC treatment, in order to obtain an easier restoration of the ovarian activity, especially in those cases refractory to classical therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada Prov. le per Casamassima, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Rizzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Annalisa
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campanile
authors.forename: Campanile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Debora
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mutinati
authors.forename: Mutinati
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maddalena
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minoia
authors.forename: Minoia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giuseppe
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spedicato
authors.forename: Spedicato
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Massimo
authors.forename: Raffaele Luigi
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sciorsci
authors.forename: Sciorsci Raffaele
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Luigi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005497:Follicular Cyst / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D007268:Injections, Epidural; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; C533053:lecirelin