Abstract: Laboratory animals reared in different Animal Facilities show variations in their physiological characteristics due to diet, management, health status, age, sampling routes, and other factors. For this reason, the importance of determining the biochemical profile of conventional mice and rats from the Animal Facility of the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas of the Universidad Nacional de Asunción (FCQ-UNA). In the experimental study, were used 60 Swiss mice and 60 Wistar rats, males and females, 11 weeks old. Were determined different biochemical parameters such as renal, liver, lipid, and protein profiles, electrolytes, glycemia and glycosylated hemoglobin. The animals were not exposed to chemical or pharmacological treatments that could change their natural physiological state. The comparative analysis of the results with those presented in the literature clearly demonstrated the existence of intra-species variations. The most noticeable differences were observed in the liver profile; since the serum transaminase levels of the animals presented values below that established in the consulted bibliography. In addition, lower glycemia values were clearly evidenced in the animals of the Animal Facility of FCQ-UNA compared to others Animal Facilities of the region. This study standardized the biochemical profile of conventional rats and mice from the Animal Facility of the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas of UNA, offering a valuable tool to researchers for the analysis of their experimental results.

Resumen: Animales de laboratorio criados en diferentes Bioterios muestran variaciones en sus características fisiológicas debido a la dieta, manejo, estado de salud, edad, vías de toma de muestras y otros factores. Por ello la importancia de determinar el perfil bioquímico de ratones y ratas convencionales del Bioterio de la Facultad de Ciencias Químicas de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción (FCQ-UNA). En el estudio experimental se utilizaron 60 ratones Swiss y 60 ratas Wistar, machos y hembras, de 11 semanas de edad. Se determinaron distintos parámetros bioquímicos como los perfiles renal, hepático, lipídico y proteico, electrolitos, glicemia y hemoglobina glicosilada. Los animales no fueron expuestos a tratamientos químicos o farmacológicos que pudieran cambiar su estado fisiológico natural. El análisis comparativo de los resultados con los presentados en la literatura, demostraron claramente la existencia de variaciones intra-especie. Las diferencias más notorias se observaron en el perfil hepático; ya que, los niveles de transaminasas séricas de los animales presentaron valores por debajo de la establecida en la bibliografía consultada. Además, claramente se evidenció valores inferiores de glicemia en los animales del Bioterio de la FCQ-UNA comparados con Bioterios de la región. Este estudio estandarizó el perfil bioquímico de ratas y ratones convencionales del Bioterio de la Facultad de Ciencias Químicas de la UNA, ofreciendo una herramienta valiosa a los investigadores para el análisis de sus resultados experimentales.

Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb., Cyperaceae, rhizomes have been widely used in the Paraguayan folk medicine as digestive, diuretic, sedative, tonic, antispasmodic and sudorific. The purpose of this study is to characterize the putative sedative, anxiolytic effects of the crude hydro-ethanolic extract (CEKb) and fractions of the rhizome of K. brevifolia, in male mice. The behaviour of mice was assessed in the open field, hole board, rota-rod and elevated plus-maze (EPM) test. Oral treatment with single doses of 10, 100 and 1000 mg/kg of CEKb and 10 mg/kg of ethyl acetate fraction (KbF-ethyl-ac) increased the duration of the sleeping time induced by pentobarbital. Oral administration of 1, 10 and 100 mg/kg of CEKb and 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg of KbF-ethyl-ac also significantly increased the time-spent and arm entries into open arms of the elevated plus maze (EPM) versus control group. These findings indicate that K. brevifolia exerts a weak sedative and an interesting anxiolytic-like effect in mice and suggest its potential usefulness for the treatment of anxiety in humans.