TRACE ELEMENTS IN MEDICINE (MOSCOW)
2015. 16(1): 15-21
ORIGINAL PAPERS

INFLUENCE OF MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY ON BEHAVIORAL ACTIVITY, FERTILITY AND REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS IN FEMALE RATS

S.A. Lebedeva, A.A. Spasov, L.I. Bugaeva, A.V. Smirnov, V.A. Tolokolnikov, T.M. Bundikova

Institute of Pharmacology, Volgograd State Medical University, Pavshikh Bortsov sq. 1a ,Volgograd, 400131

DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2015-16-1-15-21 

ABSTRACT: Magnesium deficiency is now a topical issue and is more common in women than in men. In this regard and our experiments have been carried out. In experiments on female rats magnesium-deficient state was simulated using administration of an 8-week diet (ICN Biomedicals Inc.; Aurora, Ohio, USA). It was found that a lack of magnesium in the diet leads to a gradual deterioration of the general condition of rats, reduced growth of their body weight and activation of motor behavior both in the cell and «open field» test. Upon reaching magnesium deficient status, in the estrous cyclicity of female rats the prevalence of estrus phase was decreased while prevalence of proestrus phase was increased. In sexual behavior of these females (sexual behavior setting) proceptive behavior was increased while receptive one was depressed. In the conception processes there was observed an increase of the pregnancy index, but depression of gestation processes (increased embryo mortality and decreased fecundity). We believe that the decline of fertility properties in females with the magnesium-deficient nutritional status is due to trophic changes in the endometrium and myometrium, which was fixed in a subsequent morphometric investigation.

KEYWORDS: rat behavior, sexual behavior, estrous cycle, hypomagnesemia, uterus.