Morphological effects of autoclaved diet on the myenteric neurons of rats

Table 1 Chemical composition of the Nuvilab CR1-Nuvital^® commercial diet used as a benchmark in rat feeding-São Paulo -2004

Nutrients	%
Dry matter	89.88
Crude protein	22.23
Crude Fiber	5.73
Calcium	0.92
Phosphorous	0.87
Crude energy (kcal/kg)	3976

Source: Laboratory of animal Nutrition from the Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.

Table 2 Animals fed with an autoclaved diet (EG21 and EG7) compared to animals in the CG21 and CG70

Group	Body weight (g)	No. of neurons	Cell body area (μm2)
CG21	46.8 ± 1.61	1061.0 ± 50.721	230.0 ± 10.91
EG21	47.2 ± 1.71	1168.0 ± 71.421	282.1 ± 7.02
CG70	237.4 ± 10.32	881.4 ± 38.962	347.4 ± 13.43
EG70	252.4 ± 11.12	969.4 ± 82.032	377.4 ± 22.03

Average and standard deviation of body weight (g), number of neurons and cell body area of reactive NADH-diaphorase myenteric neurons present in 8.96 mm2 of prepared membrane of the jejunum of rats during weaning periods (21 d), whose mothers received non-autoclaved rations (CG21) and autoclaved rations (EG21) during periods of pregnancy and nursing and of rats during post-weaning periods (70 d) fed with autoclaved feed (CG70) and non-autoclaved feed (EG70). Average followed by different numerals 1, 2, 3 in the same column differ (P < 0.05) by the Kruskal-Wallis test.