Feed palatability is necessary for optimum feed intake and utilization in all animal species. The effects of consumption of a standardized preparation of an extract of Macleaya cordata (M. cordata), a herbaceous flowering perennial of the Papaveraceae family that contains isoquinoline alkaloids, has been evaluated when fed to chickens for 35 consecutive days from birth. The chicks were divided into 4 treatment groups (8 replicates of 10 birds/pen) and fed corn/soybean meal-based diets supplemented with a standardized M. cordata extract preparation at 0,100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg feed. After the treatment period, eight animals/treatment were randomly selected for blood collection and necropsied after slaughtering. Routine plasma biochemistry and a gross pathology examination were performed. Tissue and organ samples were analyzed for the isoquinoline alkaloids sanguinarine and chelerythrine. No statistical differences were found between treatment groups for live weight (LW), feed intake (FI) or average daily gain (ADG). B lood biochemical analyses showed significant changes in plasma creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels, but these changes were not dose-dependent and not considered treatment-related. No treatment-related changes were found after necropsy of the selected organs and tissues. No chelerythrine was found in any tissues, while low levels of sanguinarine were found in two fat+skin samples in the 500 mg/kg feed and three fat+skin samples and one kidney sample in the 1000 mg/kg feed. The results of this study show that consumption of a standardized M. cordata extract preparation, at up to 1000 mg/kg feed, was well tolerated by chickens for 35 consecutive days.

Summary The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of a standardized Macleaya cordata Extract Product (MCEP) containing the quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloids, sanguinarine and chelerythrine, when fed to dairy cows. Thirty‐six dairy cows were randomized into three groups with twelve cows/treatment in two replica pens for each treatment group: control (C) without MCEP added to feed, treatment 1 (SANG‐1000) with MCEP added to feed at 1,000 mg/animal/day (1.5 mg/kg bw/day) and treatment 2 (SANG‐10000) with MCEP added to feed at 10,000 mg/animal/day (15.5 mg MCEP/kg bw/day). After two weeks of acclimation, animals were observed for an 84‐day experimental period, with body weight, feed intake and milk production measured daily. Milk composition was analysed every two weeks. Haematological analyses were performed on Day 0 and Day 84, and clinical chemistry analyses were performed on Day 84 of the study. There was no statistically significant difference (p > .10) among the three groups on body condition score, milk production or milk composition over the study period. There were no significant differences in body weight gain or feed consumption among the three groups. Animals in the SANG‐10000 group had significantly higher mean corpuscular volume (MCV) than the C group (p < .1) and lower mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) than the SANG‐1000 group (p < .1). Concentrations of sanguinarine and chelerythrine in milk samples collected on Day 84 were below the detection limit (LOD) as measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS). In conclusion, this study presents compelling data supporting the hypothesis that the test product MCEP, when included in the TMR at up to 10,000 mg/animal/day (15.5 mg MCEP/kg bw/day), is well tolerated by dairy cows.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Sangrovit®, a standardized preparation of Macleaya cordata extract (MCE), on the health status and retained residues in growing-finishing swine. A total of twelve growing-finishing swine (n = 6 for each group) were randomly divided into two groups and fed either a control feed or the control feed supplemented with 100 mg/kg Sangrovit® (3.5 mg/kg MCE) for 28 days. The parameters for growth and health status were evaluated during the trial and after which the animals were slaughtered. Residual levels of MCE in swine organs and tissues were determined by measuring sanguinarine and chelerythrine levels by LC-MS/MS. The results showed no statistically significant differences in live weight, feed intake and average daily gain between the treatment and control groups. The feed supplemented with 100 mg/kg Sangrovit® was well tolerated by the swine, with no adverse effects noted during the feeding period or in the necropsy results. Residue analysis indicated that levels of sanguinarine or chelerythrine were under the limit of detection in all the examined tissues and organs from the treated swine. This study demonstrates that Sangrovit®, a standardized preparation of MCE when fed to growing-finishing swine for 28 days, at the level of 100 mg/kg in feed, does not result in sanguinarine or chelerythrine residues in the organs or tissues.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Sangrovit®, a standardized preparation of Macleaya cordata extract (MCE), on the health status and performance in weaned piglets. A total of 128 weaned piglets were randomly divided into four groups (n = 32, 16/sex/group) and fed either a control feed (T1) or the control feed supplemented with 100 mg/kg (T2), 500 mg/kg (T3), or 1000 mg/kg (T4) Sangrovit® (resulting in 0, 3.5, 17.5, 35 mg MCE/kg feed, respectively) for ninety days. The parameters for growth and health status were evaluated during the trial and blood was collected on Day 0 and Day 91 for hematology and biochemistry analysis. After the animals were sacrificed,

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of Sangrovit®, a standardized preparation of Macleaya cordata extract (MCE), on the health status and egg laying parameters of layer chickens. Layer chickens (N = 360) were randomly divided into four groups (90 birds/treatment, 10 birds/pen) and fed either a standard basal feed (T1) or a basal diet that was supplemented with 100 mg/kg (T2), 500 mg/kg (T3) or 1000 mg/kg (T4) Sangrovit® (providing 0, 3.7, 18.5, and 37.0 mg MCE/kg feed, respectively) for 56 consecutive days. Live Weight (LW), Average Daily Feed Intake (ADFI) and the Feed Conversion Ratios (FCR) were calculated during the study, and biochemical and hematological endpoints were obtained at the end of the study (Day 56). Eggs were analyzed for the isoquinoline alkaloids sanguinarine and chelerythrine. No statistically significant (P > 0.05) differences were found between control and treatment groups for LW, ADFI and FCR. There was a significant increase in the % laying in groups T3 and T4 for the study overall, but no significant differences in egg size during the study. Blood biochemical analyses showed a near-significant trend for decreased bilirubin in the T2 and T4 groups, but this was not dose-dependent and not considered treatment-related. The percent hemoglobin was significantly decreased in the high dose group, but was not considered treatment-related as it was not a dose-dependent effect. No treatment-related changes were found after necropsy of the selected organs. No quantifiable sanguinarine or chelerythrine was found in the eggs after 56 days administration of the MCE preparation to the hens. The results of this study show that consumption of a standardized MCE preparation at up to 1000 mg/kg feed in laying hens had no adverse effect on the hen or eggs, and no residual sanguinarine or chelerythrine was transferred to the eggs.