Oral administration tool for fish under test, oral administration method for fish under test, and manufacturing method of oral administration tool for fish under test

Abstract

To provide a technology for suppressing leakage of test substance from a junction part in an oral administration tool for fish under test, by connecting a tube component made of elastic material firmly and stably to a tip side of a needle-like component that is made from a rigid material and connected to a syringe.SOLUTION: A base end part 21 of a tube component 20 is formed as a protruding base end part 21 which is thicker than other parts and an outer peripheral surface of which protrudes outward. A tip end 11 of a needle-like component 10 is inserted into the protruding base end part 21 of the tube component 20 and the tip end 11 of the needle-like component 10 is fitted in the protruding base end part 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a test fish oral administration device in which a tube member made of an elastic material is connected to the tip side of a needle-shaped member made of a rigid material connected to a syringe, and when the tube member is inserted into the oral cavity of a test fish in an intubated state, a test substance sealed in a syringe flows out from the tip of the tube member and is administered directly orally to the test fish. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, zebrafish have been attracting much attention as an experimental subject animal. Zebrafish are small fish with a body length of about 40 mm. A syringe is generally used as a test fish oral administration device used for directly orally administering a test substance to a small test fish such as a zebrafish. As such a test fish oral administration device, a device that includes a syringe for enclosing the test substance, a needle-shaped member made of a rigid material connected to the syringe, and a tube member made of an elastic material connected to the tip side of the needle-shaped member is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this case, the tube member is inserted into the oral cavity of the test fish in an intubation state, and the test substance flowing out from the tip of the tube member can be directly orally administered to the test fish. In this application, the insertion of the tube member into the oral cavity of the test fish may be simply called "intubation".

[0003] In the conventional manufacturing method of such a test fish oral administration device, the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is inserted into the base end portion of the tubular member, and the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is fitted within the base end portion, thereby connecting the tubular member to the tip side of the needle-shaped member. Furthermore, in the test fish oral administration device described in Patent Document 1, a mark serving as an indication of the intubation depth can be provided in an outwardly projecting state on the outer peripheral surface of, for example, the base end portion of the tube member. When providing such a projecting portion serving as a mark on the outer peripheral surface of the base end portion of the tube member, a cylindrical or annular member separate from the tube member can be fitted into the outer peripheral surface of the base end portion of the tube member into which the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is fitted, and used as the projecting portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2022 / 210397 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In manufacturing the test fish oral administration device described in Patent Document 1, as described above, when a cylindrical or annular member is fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of the base end portion of the tube member into which the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is fitted, and used as a protruding portion that serves as an indicator of intubation depth, the tube member may be displaced from the needle-shaped member due to the fitting operation of the cylindrical or annular member. This causes a problem that the fitting of the tube member to the needle-shaped member becomes insufficient, causing a gap at the connection between them, which makes it easy for the test substance to leak through the gap. In addition, since the tube member is constructed of a relatively soft material in order to prevent damage to the oral cavity or esophagus of the test fish during intubation, there was a problem that, for example, when using this test fish oral administration device to administer the substance orally to the test fish, the tube member was prone to falling off the needle-shaped member.

[0006] In light of this situation, the main objective of the present invention is to provide a technology for a test fish oral administration device in which a tubular member made of an elastic material is connected to the tip side of a needle-shaped member made of a rigid material connected to a syringe, which allows the tubular member to be firmly and stably connected to the needle-shaped member, thereby suppressing leakage of the test substance at the connection portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first characteristic configuration of the present invention includes a syringe for sealing a test substance, a needle-shaped member made of a rigid material connected to the syringe; a tube member made of an elastic material connected to the tip side of the needle-shaped member, A test fish oral administration device for orally administering a test substance sealed in the syringe directly to the test fish by flowing the test substance from the tip of the tube member in an intubated state in which the tube member is inserted into the oral cavity of the test fish, The base end portion of the tube member is formed as a protruding base end portion having a thicker wall than other portions and an outer circumferential surface protruding outward, The tip portion of the needle-shaped member is inserted into the protruding base end portion of the tubular member, and the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is fitted inside the protruding base end portion.

[0008] According to this configuration, the base end portion of the tube member is integrally formed with the tube member as the protruding base end portion, and the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is inserted into the protruding base end portion. Therefore, compared to the case where a cylindrical or annular member separate from the tube member is fitted into the outer circumferential surface of the base end portion of the tube member into which the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is fitted and used as a protruding portion, the work of fitting a separate member into the outer circumferential surface of the tube member made of an elastic material connected to the tip side of the needle-shaped member is omitted, so that the tube member and the needle-shaped member can be well connected without generating gaps that may cause leakage of the test substance while suppressing displacement of the tube member relative to the needle-shaped member. Furthermore, since the protruding base end portion of the tube member is made thicker than other portions, the tip portion of the needle-shaped member inserted while expanding the diameter of the protruding base end portion can be firmly held in the tube member by the relatively strong elastic restoring force of the protruding base end portion. Therefore, the present invention provides a technology for firmly and stably connecting the tube member to the tip of a needle-shaped member made of a rigid material connected to a syringe in a test fish oral administration device, thereby suppressing leakage of the test substance at the connection portion.

[0009] A second characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the outer circumferential tip side step of the protruding base end portion is set as an intubation depth indicator that is positioned near the mouth of the test fish in the intubated state.

[0010] According to this configuration, a user performing an oral administration method for a test fish in which a tube member is inserted into the oral cavity of the test fish and the test substance sealed in a syringe is allowed to flow out from the tip of the tube member and be administered directly orally to the test fish can easily and accurately intubate the tube member made of an elastic material connected to the tip side of the needle-shaped member into the oral cavity of the test fish so that the outer circumferential tip side step of the protruding base end portion, which serves as an intubation depth indicator, is positioned near the mouth of the test fish.

[0011] The third characteristic configuration of the present invention is a method for oral administration to a test fish, comprising: using a test fish oral administration device having the second characteristic configuration described above; inserting the tube member into the oral cavity of the test fish in an intubated state; causing the test substance sealed in the syringe to flow out from the tip of the tube member and orally administering the test substance directly to the test fish; In the intubation state, the outer circumferential tip side step of the protruding base end portion is positioned near the mouth of the test fish as the intubation depth indicator.

[0012] According to this configuration, as described above, the test fish oral administration device according to the present invention can firmly and stably connect the tube member to the tip side of the needle-shaped member and suppress leakage of the test substance at the connection part, and can perform oral administration to the test fish. In this oral administration method, the user of the test fish oral administration device can easily and accurately intubate the tube member made of an elastic material connected to the tip side of the needle-shaped member into the oral cavity of the test fish so that the tube member is positioned near the mouth of the test fish while visually checking the protruding base end part of the tube member, which serves as an intubation depth indicator. Then, since the fitting part between the base end part of the tube member and the tip part of the needle-shaped member is rigid, it is held in a stable state in the oral cavity of the test fish. Therefore, the flexible tube member located at the tip side of the fitting part can be intubated at an appropriate intubation depth that prevents damage to the oral cavity and esophagus beyond the gills of the test fish without bending it in a stable state.

[0013] A fourth characteristic configuration of the present invention is a syringe for sealing a test substance, a needle-shaped member made of a rigid material connected to the syringe; a tube member made of an elastic material connected to the tip side of the needle-shaped member, A method for manufacturing a test fish oral administration device for directly orally administering a test substance sealed in the syringe to the test fish by flowing the test substance from the tip of the tube member in an intubated state in which the tube member is inserted into the oral cavity of the test fish, The base end portion of the tube member is formed as a protruding base end portion having a thicker wall than other portions and an outer circumferential surface protruding outward, The tip portion of the needle-shaped member is inserted into the protruding base end portion of the tubular member, and the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is fitted inside the protruding base end portion.

[0014] With this configuration, as described above, it is possible to rationally manufacture a test fish oral administration device according to the present invention that can firmly and stably connect a tube member to the tip side of the needle-shaped member and suppress leakage of the test substance at the connection portion. In other words, after forming a protruding base end portion on the tube member, the needle-shaped member is inserted into the protruding base end portion, so that the tube member and the needle-shaped member can be connected well without creating gaps that could cause leakage of the test substance. Furthermore, since the protruding base end portion of the tube member is made thicker than other portions, the tip portion of the needle-shaped member inserted while expanding the diameter of the protruding base end portion can be firmly held in the tube member by the relatively strong elastic restoring force of the protruding base end portion.

[0015] A fifth characteristic feature of the present invention is that the tube member is produced by integrally molding a tube portion formed in a cylindrical shape and an outer portion surrounding the base end of the tube portion using an elastic material.

[0016] According to this configuration, by using the relatively simple method of integrally molding the tube portion and the outer circumferential portion surrounding the base end, it is possible to produce a tube member in which the base end portion is formed as a protruding base end portion whose outer circumferential surface protrudes outward and is thicker than other portions due to the outer circumferential portion, while preventing misalignment or detachment of the outer circumferential portion from the tube portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 shows the overall configuration of the test fish oral administration device, and the state of the test fish F before intubation (a) and after intubation (b). [Diagram 2] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a state before and after engagement of a needle-shaped member and a tube member in a test fish oral administration device; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE DISCLOSURE An embodiment of a test fish oral administration device, a test fish oral administration method, and a method for manufacturing a test fish oral administration device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1(a), the test fish oral administration device of this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "this oral administration device") 1 comprises a syringe 2 for sealing a test substance, and a thin tube section 3 for causing the test substance supplied from the syringe 2 to flow out from the opening at the tip 3a. As shown in Figure 1(b), when the thin tube section 3 is inserted into the oral cavity of the test fish F in an intubated state, the device is configured as an instrument for directly orally administering the test substance flowing out from the opening at the tip 3a of the thin tube section 3 to the test fish F. In the thin tube portion 3 of the oral administration device 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the syringe 2 side (right side in the drawings) is called the base end side, and the opposite side to the syringe 2 (left side in the drawings) is called the tip side. In addition, in this oral administration device 1, various dimensions such as the size of the syringe 2 and the bore of the thin tube portion 3 are set for a test fish F, which is a small zebrafish having a body length of about 40 mm, as the subject of oral administration.

[0019] In the oral administration method for test fish F using this oral administration device 1, the thin tube portion 3 attached to the syringe 2 is inserted into the oral cavity of the test fish F, and intubation can be performed stably and accurately while minimizing damage to the oral cavity or esophagus of the test fish F, allowing the test substance to be appropriately administered directly orally to the test fish F. 2(a), the thin tube section 3 of the oral administration device 1 is composed of a needle-shaped member 10 connected to a syringe 2, and a tube member 20 connected to a tip 10a side of the needle-shaped member 10. In this embodiment, the needle-shaped member 10 is made of a rigid material such as metal, and the tube member 20 is made of an elastic material. The respective constituent materials can be appropriately changed within the range where the needle-shaped member 10 is made of a rigid material and the tube member 20 is made of an elastic material.

[0020] In the oral administration device 1 and its manufacturing method, the tip portion 11 of the needle-shaped member 10 is inserted into the base end portion 21 of the tube member 20, and the base end portion 21 fits the tip portion 11 of the needle-shaped member 10, thereby realizing a structure in which the tube member 20 is connected to the tip 10a side of the needle-shaped member 10. This provides an engagement portion 30 between the base end portion 21 side of the tube member 20 and the tip portion 11 of the needle-shaped member 10. The engagement portion 30 is a portion whose shape is maintained by the inserted needle-shaped member 10.

[0021] In the present oral administration device 1, the tube member 20 is firmly and stably connected to the needle-shaped member 10, and leakage of the test substance at the connection portion between them is suppressed. The details will be described below.

[0022] In the oral administration device 1 and its manufacturing method, the base end portion 21 of the tube member 20 is integrally formed with the tube member 20 as a protruding base end portion 21 that is thicker than other portions and has an outer circumferential surface that protrudes outward. Then, the tip portion 11 of the needle-shaped member 10 is inserted into the protruding base end portion 21 of the tube member 20, and the tip portion 11 of the needle-shaped member 10 is fitted inside the protruding base end portion 21, thereby realizing a structure in which the tube member 20 is connected to the tip 10a side of the needle-shaped member 10. The outer circumferential tip side step of this protruding base end portion 21 is set to an intubation depth index A that is positioned near the mouth Fa, such as the lower jaw, of the test fish F when the tube member 20 connected to the tip 10a side of the needle-shaped member 10 is intubated into the oral cavity of the test fish F.

[0023] With this configuration, in the manufacturing method of the oral administration device 1, the step of fitting a separate member onto the outer circumferential surface of the tube member 20 is omitted when constructing the protruding base end portion 21. Therefore, the displacement of the tube member 20 relative to the needle-shaped member 10 is suppressed, and the tube member 20 and the needle-shaped member 10 are satisfactorily connected without generating a gap that may cause leakage of the test substance. Furthermore, since the protruding base end portion 21 of the tube member 20 is made thicker than other portions, the tip portion 11 of the needle-shaped member 10, which is inserted while expanding the diameter of the protruding base end portion 21, is firmly held in the tube member 20 by the relatively strong elastic restoring force of the protruding base end portion 21.

[0024] Moreover, the tube member 20 having the protruding base end portion 21 as described above can be relatively easily manufactured by integral molding of an elastic material. That is, as shown in Fig. 2(a), the tube member 20 is composed of a tube portion 25 made of polypropylene, an elastic material, formed into a cylindrical shape, and an outer circumferential portion 27 made of silicone rubber, an elastic material, which surrounds the base end portion 25a of the tube portion 25. Then, by integrally molding the tube portion 25 and the outer circumferential portion 27 using the polypropylene and the silicone rubber, the tube member 20 can be manufactured in which the base end portion 21 is formed as the protruding base end portion 21, which is thicker than other portions and has an outer circumferential surface that protrudes outward due to the outer circumferential portion 27.

[0025] As described above, oral administration to test fish F can be performed using this oral administration device 1, which can firmly and stably connect the tube member 20 to the needle-shaped member 10 and suppress leakage of the test substance at the connection portion. That is, in the oral administration method for the test fish F of this embodiment, the user of the oral administration device 1 can easily and accurately intubate the tube member 20 connected to the tip 10a of the needle-shaped member 10 into the oral cavity of the test fish F so that it is positioned near the mouth Fa of the test fish F, such as the lower jaw, as shown in Fig. 1(b) and Fig. 2(b), while visually checking the protruding base end portion 21 of the tube member 20, which is the intubation depth indicator A. Then, since the fitting portion 30 between the base end portion 21 of the tube member 20 and the tip portion 11 of the needle-shaped member 10 is a portion whose shape is maintained by the inserted needle-shaped member 10, it is held in a stable state near the mouth Fa of the test fish F. Then, the flexible tube member 20 located on the tip 20a side from the fitting portion 30 is gently curved along the esophagus of the test fish F in a stable state, and is intubated at an appropriate intubation depth that prevents damage to the oral cavity and esophagus by passing over the gills of the test fish F. Then, while suppressing leakage of the test substance at the connection between the needle-shaped member 10 and the tube member 20, the test substance supplied from the syringe 2 can be allowed to flow out from the opening at the tip 20a of the tube member 20, and can be administered directly orally to the test fish F.

[0026] 2(b), it is desirable to set the fitting length L30, which is the length of the fitting portion 30 between the tube member 20 and the needle-shaped member 10, within a range of 1 mm to 30 mm, more preferably within a range of 1 mm to 5 mm. That is, if the fitting length L30 is less than 1 mm, the joining stability of the tube member 20 to the needle-shaped member 10 decreases, causing problems such as the tube member 20 accidentally falling off the needle-shaped member 10 during intubation. On the other hand, if the above-mentioned fitting length L30 exceeds 5 mm, the fitting portion 30 becomes too large, making the fitting operation between the tube member 20 and the needle-shaped member 10 complicated, and the elasticity, or flexibility, of the tube portion 20 at the tip side of the fitting portion 30 decreases, which may damage the oral cavity or esophagus of the test fish F.

[0027] Furthermore, the tube member 20 is configured to be detachable from the needle member 10 so that it can be replaced with another tube member. This allows the tube member 20 to be easily replaced with one of a different length or a new one. The intubation length L32, which is the length from the outer circumferential tip side step of the protruding base end portion 21 to the tip 20a of the tube member 20 and serves as the intubation depth indicator A, is desirably about 8 mm when the test fish F is a zebrafish with a body length of about 30 mm, in order to properly administer the test substance orally while preventing damage to the oral cavity and esophagus of the test fish F. Based on this, it is desirably about 10 mm when the test fish F is a zebrafish with a body length greater than 30 mm, and it is desirably about 6 mm when the test fish F is a zebrafish with a body length less than 30 mm.

[0028] [Another embodiment] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below. Note that the configurations of the embodiments described below are not limited to being applied alone, but may also be applied in combination with the configurations of other embodiments.

[0029] (1) In the above embodiment, the needle-shaped member 10 is made of metal, which is a rigid material, but it may be made of another rigid material, such as another resin. Also, in the above embodiment, in the tube member 20, the tube portion 25 is made of polypropylene, which is an elastic material, and the surrounding portion 27 is made of silicone rubber, which is a different material, but the materials constituting the tube portion 25 and the surrounding portion 27 can be changed to other elastic materials. Also, in the tube member 20, the tube portion 25 and the surrounding portion 27 may be made of the same elastic material.

[0030] (2) In the above embodiment, the tube member 20 is manufactured by integrally molding the tube portion 25 and the outer circumferential portion 27 with an elastic material, but for example, the tube portion 25 and the outer circumferential portion 27 may be manufactured as separate members and then bonded together to form an integrated member. Also, a tube member with a tip portion that protrudes outward, like a commercially available oral probe, may be used as the tube member 20 by reversing the tip and base ends.

[0031] (3) In the above embodiment, the test fish F is a zebrafish, but the oral administration device 1 can also be applied to other test fish. In that case, the fitting length L30 and the intubation length L32 can be appropriately set according to the body length, the length of the digestive organs, and the like of the test fish F.

[0032] (4) In the above embodiment, the tube member 20 is detachable from the needle-shaped member 10. However, for example, the tube member 20 and the needle-shaped member 10 may be bonded to each other at the fitting portion 30 so that they cannot be detached. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1. Test fish oral administration device 2 Syringes 10 Needle-shaped member 10a Tip of needle-shaped member 11 Tip of needle-shaped member 20 Tube material 20a End of tube member 21 protruding base end portion of tube member 25 Tube section 25a Base end of tube portion 27 Outer part A Intubation depth index F Test fish Fa Lip

Claims

1. A syringe for containing a test substance; a needle-shaped member made of a rigid material connected to the syringe; a tube member made of an elastic material connected to the tip side of the needle-shaped member, A test fish oral administration device for orally administering a test substance sealed in the syringe directly to the test fish by flowing the test substance from the tip of the tube member in an intubated state in which the tube member is inserted into the oral cavity of the test fish, The base end portion of the tube member is formed as a protruding base end portion having a thicker wall than other portions and an outer circumferential surface protruding outward, A test fish oral administration device in which the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is inserted into the protruding base end portion of the tubular member, and the tip portion of the needle-shaped member is fitted within the protruding base end portion.

2. 2. A test fish oral administration device as described in claim 1, wherein the outer circumferential tip side step of the protruding base end portion is set to an intubation depth indicator that is positioned near the mouth of the test fish in the intubated state.

3. A method for oral administration to a test fish, comprising: inserting the tube member into the oral cavity of the test fish in an intubated state; allowing the test substance sealed in the syringe to flow out from the tip of the tube member and directly orally administering the test substance to the test fish; A method of oral administration to a test fish, in which, in the intubation state, the outer circumferential tip side step of the protruding base end portion is positioned near the mouth of the test fish as the intubation depth indicator.

4. A syringe for containing a test substance; a needle-shaped member made of a rigid material connected to the syringe; a tube member made of an elastic material connected to the tip side of the needle-shaped member, A method for manufacturing a test fish oral administration device for directly orally administering a test substance sealed in the syringe to the test fish by flowing the test substance from the tip of the tube member in an intubated state in which the tube member is inserted into the oral cavity of the test fish, The base end portion of the tube member is formed as a protruding base end portion having a thicker wall than other portions and an outer circumferential surface protruding outward, A method for manufacturing a test fish oral administration device, comprising inserting the tip portion of the needle-shaped member into the protruding base end portion of the tubular member and fitting the tip portion of the needle-shaped member within the protruding base end portion.

5. A method for manufacturing a test fish oral administration device as described in claim 4, in which the tube member is produced by integrally molding a tube portion formed into a cylindrical shape and an outer portion surrounding the base end of the tube portion using an elastic material.

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