No abstract

The effect of sodium butyrate on various bodily parameters of broilers such as performance, gut microflora, gut morphology, and immunity is reviewed in order to highlight its importance as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters. Sodium butyrate is used as a source of butyric acid, which is known for its beneficial effects in the gut in monogastrics. Sodium butyrate is available in uncoated and entericcoated forms protected with fat or fatty acid salts. Varying results in productive performance, gut microbes, and gut morphology have been reported in the literature in response to supplementation of broiler diets with uncoated and fatcoated types of sodium butyrate. However, sodium butyrate has shown pronounced effects on immunity of chickens that are not fully understood yet. Although there are contrasting results of sodium butyrate in chicken, further research is needed using the sodium butyrate coated with the salts of fatty acids.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary black cumin seed on performance, egg traits, egg cholesterol content and egg yolk fatty acid composition in laying hens during a 12 week period. For this purpose a total of 160 Lohmann Brown laying hens 36 weeks of age were allocated to four dietary treatments with one control group and three treatment groups. Black cumin seed (Nigella sativa L.) was used at the level of 5, 10 and 15 g kg −1 in the diets of the first, second and third treatment groups, respectively.

Background: We investigated the protective effects of rosmarinic acid (RA) on testicular damage induced by doxorubicin (DXR) in rats. Methods: In total, 21 rats were divided into 3 groups: the control group that received no treatment, the DXR group that received intraperitoneal (i.p.) DXR on day 7 and the DXR + RA group that received intragastric RA for 10 days with i.p. DXR on day 7. The rats were sacrificed on day 11 for histological and biochemical analyses. To assess oxidative damage, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured. Results: The median modified Johnsen score of the DXR + RA group was higher than that of the DXR group (p = 0.002). The rats with the narrowest seminiferous tubules were in the DXR group (0.17 ± 0.03), and the difference between the DXR + RA and DXR groups was statistically significant (p = 0.002). The number of apoptotic cells in the DXR group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and there were significantly fewer apoptotic cells in the DXR + RA group than in the DXR group (p = 0.002). The MDA level was lowest in the control group and highest in the DXR group, and the level observed in the DXR + RA group significantly lower than that in the DXR group (p = 0.002). The GPx level was highest in the control group, with the level observed in the DXR + RA group significantly higher than that in the DXR group (p = 0.002). The testosterone level was lowest in the DXR group and highest in the control group, and that observed in the DXR + RA group was significantly higher than that in the DXR group (p = 0.018). Conclusions: RA can correct DXR-induced testicular damage through its antioxidant properties. However, the mechanism underlying the effects of RA requires further investigation, and long-term and comparative human studies are also needed.

Mongolian gerbils (28 males) were divided into four groups, control (C), treadmill-exercised (Ex), treated with the extract of Diospyros kaki (Dk), and treated with the Dk extract plus exercised (Ex+Dk) groups. Animals of the respective groups were running-exercised for 30 min per day during 8 weeks, and the Dk extract (dose 20mg/kg) was given by gavage during five days per week within the same period. After the treatment and exercise period, an epilepsy model was produced by penicillin G injection (500 IU) into the left somatomotor cortex, and electrocorticogram (ECoG) was recorded during 120 min. The mean frequency of spike/wave complexes was significantly smaller in the Ex and Ex+Dk groups from the 65th min of the observation period and, in the Dk group, from the 75th min than the respective value in the C group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). The differences in the amplitude values and latency to onset of the spike/wave events among all groups usally did not reach the significance level (P > 0.05), but, visin late stages of the observation period, an antiseisure effect of the Dk extract was obvious. Thus, both the running exercise and Dk extract applications inhibit penicillin-induced epileptiform activity by altering the spike/ wave frequency or severity of seizures observed in ECoG recordings. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of physical activity of different intensities and forms and to analyze the active compounds in the Dk extract.