The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anticoccidial effect of the different concentrations of the acetic acid in the broiler chickens in comparison with the amprolium anticoccidial. A total of 198 chicks were placed 11 per pen with three pens per treatment. The different concentrations (1%, 2% and 3%) of acetic acid and amproilum (at the dose rate of 125ppm) were given to the experimental groups in drinking water from 10-19 th days of age. One group was kept as infected non medicated control and one as non infected non medicated control. All the groups were inoculated orally with 75,000 sporulated oocysts at the 12 th day of age except non infected non medicated control. Anticoccidial effect was evaluated on the basis of performance (weight gain, feed conversion ratio) and pathogenic (oocyst score, lesion score and mortality %age) parameters. Among acetic acid medicated groups, the maximum anticoccidial effect was seen in the group medicated with 3% acetic acid followed by 2% and 1% acetic acid medicated groups. Amprolium and 3% acetic acid were almost equivalent in suppressing the negative performance and pathogenic effects associated with coccidiosis (Eimeria tenella) challenge. In summary, acetic acid has the potential to be used as alternative to chemotherapeutic drugs for Eimeria tenella control. Concentration-dependent anticoccidial effect of acetic acid suggests that further studies should be carried out to determine the possible maximum safe levels of acetic acid with least toxic effects to be used as anticoccidial.

No abstract

Sargassum muticum (S. muticum) is a brown edible alga and widely distributed in Korea. This report was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of apo-9′-fucoxanthinone (APO-9′) isolated from S. muticum on pro-inflammatory cytokine production. S. muticum extract (SME) exhibited significant inhibitory effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine production in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and dendritic cells (BMDCs). APO-9′ pre-treatment in the CpG DNA-stimulated BMDMs and BMDCs showed a strong dose-dependent inhibitory effect on interleukin (IL)-12 p40, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production with IC50 values ranging from 5.31 to 13.79. It exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and on activator protein (AP)-1 reporter activity. APO-9′ pre-treatment exhibited significant inhibition of CpG DNA-induced production of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Taken together, these data suggest that SME and APO-9′ have a significant anti-inflammatory property and warrant further studies concerning the potentials of SME and APO-9′ for medicinal use.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play critical regulatory roles in the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and downstream signaling events which lead to inflammation. Inflammation is a primarily localized and protective response of host against microbial infection. Controlled inflammation is beneficial and necessary for host defense while uncontrolled inflammatory response results in inflammatory diseases such as septic shock, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. The MAPK family consists of three subfamilies; the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), the c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), and the p38 MAPKs. MAPKs are involved in transmitting extracellular signals to nucleus which leads to gene regulation. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of ERK1/2, JNKs, and p38 MAPK members and their roles in inflammation.

Four new compounds, acacetin 8-C-[-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 2)--D-glucopyranoside] (), 7-methoxyacacetin 8-C-[-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 3)--D-glucopyranoside] (), 7-methoxyacacetin 8-C-[-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)--D-glucopyranoside] (), and 4‴-O-acetylacacetin 8-C-[-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)--D-glucopyranoside] (), along with ten known compounds (-), were isolated from leaves. The effects of these compounds on lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-12 p40, IL-6, and TNF- in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells were evaluated. Compounds , and- inhibited the production of both IL-12 p40 and IL-6, with IC values ranging from 0.35 ± 0.01 to 1.40 ± 0.04 µM and 1.22 ± 0.02 to 3.79 ± 0.10 µM, respectively. Compounds and only showed strong inhibition effects on the production of IL-12 p40, with IC values of 2.76 ± 0.08 and 0.39 ± 0.05 µM, respectively. However, all compounds showed weak activity or no activity on TNF- production at the tested concentrations.