Effect of Echinacea purpurea and Silybum marianum seeds on the body of rats with an excessive fat diet

Self Cite

Calcium propionate, as an approved food additive, is widely used as a mold inhibitor in food and feed. It is recognized as safe, but when metabolized in the gastrointestinal tract, it can affect the body’s metabolism both directly and indirectly through the intestinal microbiota. The effect of various doses of calcium propionate on the body of model animals, with the study of the quantitative and qualitative composition of their intestinal microbiome, was investigated in this experiment. Four groups of male laboratory rats were formed, which for 20 days consumed: a high-fat diet with the addition of 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% calcium propionoate. We determined changes in body weight, the condition and mass indices of the internal organs, biochemical blood parameters, the functional state of the nervous system using the “open field” method, as well as changes in the intestinal microbiota. Adding calcium propionate to a high-fat diet does not affect the rate of animals’ weight gain, nor the amount of feed and water consumed. High dose consumption of calcium propionate caused a decrease in the relative weight of the spleen and an increase in the relative weight of the kidneys, without affecting the functional state of the nervous system. With the addition of calcium propionate to a high-fat diet, only minor changes in some biochemical blood parameters were observed (increased De Ritis ratio and Ca/P ratio, moderate dyslipidemia). Calcium propionate had the most significant changes in the quantitative and qualitative composition of the intestinal microbiota in laboratory rats. Among the representatives of the microflora, the most sensitive to this substance against the background of a high-fat diet were obligate microorganisms from the genera Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. The antimicrobial action of calcium propionate was also demonstrated by the pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus. Amid a deficiency of obligate microflora, proliferation of transient microflora was found – facultative anaerobic and aerobic microorganisms (bacteria of the genera Klebsiella, Enterococcus, Clostridium, fungi of the genus Candida). Further research will be aimed at studying the effect of calcium propionate in various doses on the biological systems of different age group laboratory animals in a long-term experiment.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of calcium propionate on rats with a high-fat hypercaloric diet

Lieshchova,

Bilan,

Mylostyvyi

et al. 2023

Self Cite

“…Analysis of the literature sources revealed that over recent decades, drugs made from S. marianum have been successfully used to treat patients with liver pathologies, both animals and humans. Experimental in vitro and in vivo studies exhibited strong hepatoprotectory effect of S. marianum as a fodder or a supplement to fodder for agricultural animals and poultry (Khaleghipour et al, 2019;Gutyj et al, 2022;Tedesco & Guerrini, 2022;Lieshchova & Brygadyrenko, 2023). Hepatoprotectors are important means for treating animals and humans with liver pathologies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Treatment of animals with fatty liver disease using a drug based on the seeds of Silybum marianum

Vlizlo,

Prystupa,

Slivinska

et al. 2023

Medicinal plants are a source of various therapeutic preparations. Therefore, the aim of our work was to prepare a liposomal drug from extract from the seeds of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., adding tocopherol acetate, lecithin, squalene, and Tween 80. The drug was used on the laboratory animals (rats) intramuscularly to measure the efficacy of treatment of experimentally modeled toxic fatty liver disease. The fatty infiltration of the liver in the rats was caused by tetrachloromethane (ССl4). The efficacy of the liposomal drug based on the extract from S. marianum seeds was studied on 25 animals in which the liver pathology had been caused by 50% oil solution of ССl4, administered in the dose of 5 mL per kg of body weight. The diseased rats were divided into five groups, each consisting five animals. Animals of the four experimental groups – first, second, third, and fourth - received the drug intramuscularly in the doses of 0.05, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.50 mL/kg of body weight three times every two days, respectively. At the same time, the control rats received three-time intramuscular injection of physiological solution in the dose of 0.5 mL/kg of body weight. Treatment of the animals with fatty liver disease by injections of the drug based on the extract from S. marianum seeds normalized the general condition, significantly improved the functions and structure of the liver. Biochemical studies of blood serum of the sick animals after the treatment revealed increase in albumin content, which may suggest reduction of the protein-synthesizing function of the liver. The normalization of the bile-forming and bile-excreting functions of the liver, and also elimination of cholestasis were evidenced by reduced contents of bile acids and total bilirubin and increased total cholesterol in the blood serum of the rats. After treating the animals with the created drug, we saw decrease in the activity of the liver-indicator enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and glutamate dehydrogenase) in the blood serum, which is a sign of recovery of the structure of hepatocytes and elimination of cytolysis. Histological studies of the liver of the treated rats confirmed the positive effect of the liposomal drug on the organ’s structure. In the future studies, we plan to test this combination of agents in treatment of agricultural and domestic animals with liver pathologies.

“…Despite the comparative safety of many species of spice plants used to protect the health of living organisms (Panickar, 2013), many of them are capable of exerting a negative influence on the human organism and the organisms of model animals (Jacques & Bradatan, 2021;Koss-Mikołajczyk et al, 2021;Lietzow, 2021). Despite this, many species of plants , when added to the diet in minimum amounts, are capable of regulating the metabolism , reducing the weight of humans and animals with obesity (Wang & Zhu, 2016;Shang et al, 2021;Lieshchova & Brygadyrenko, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Usage of spicy aromatic plants of the flora of Armenia in the national cuisine

Sargsyan

2023

Since ancient times, Armenians have used wild plants in their diet in both fresh and processed forms. Their gastronomic traditions, knowledge about useful plants, and methods of their application have been passed from generation to generation. In this review we analyse the species composition of plants that are used as spices in the national cuisine, how many there are, and what prospects there are for their use. Field surveys were conducted to collect ethnobotanical data of the use of aromatic plants in all of regions in Armenia during the years 2016–2022. 58 informants (42 women and 16 men) were interviewed after obtaining their prior informed oral consent. The informants included farmers, housewives and cooks engaged in preparing the national cuisine. All the informants participated voluntarily and shared their life experience, knowledge received from grandmothers and their professional skills. For the first time, a list of spicy plants of the flora of Armenia which were used in the preparation of national dishes is presented. Some species are no longer used, because classic spices are already available for sale, but some species of plants are still used today as a seasoning in national dishes. In the flora of Armenia there are 142 species of spicy aromatic plants belonging to 115 genera and 46 families. Studies have shown that the largest number of spicy-aromatic plants grow in Central and Southern Armenia (Armeno-Iranian floral province). On the basis of this rich plant resource, it is possible to organize the cultivation of organic spicy plants and spices in order to use them in various branches of the food industry. The recollected knowledge of our ancestors in the area of cheesemaking, winemaking, beermaking, combining centuries of experience with today's new technologies and use of spice plants can be used to develop the country's economy.