Pomegranate peel as a natural antioxidant boosts bucks' fertility under Egyptian summer conditions

[EN] Exposure of male rabbits to heat stress during summer adversely affects their fertility, leading to major production losses. A total of 16 male rabbits were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups exposed to temperatures ranging from a high of 30.3 to a low of 27.3 °C. Animals from first to fourth groups were fed diets containing 0, 1.5, 3.0, or 4.5% pomegranate peel (PP) to evaluate the ability of PP feeding to enhance bucks¿ reproductive status. Pomegranate peel treatments significantly increased ejaculate volume by 19, 18 and 12%, increased seminal plasma fructose by 7, 18, and 24%, improved sperm motility by 28, 34 and 49%, increased sperm total output by 37, 69 and 102% and reduced dead sperm by 24, 32 and 64% with diets containing 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5% of PP compared to the heat stressed control animals. Seminal plasma total lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides increased while alkaline phosphatase decreased with PP treatments. Seminal plasma total antioxidant capacity increased to reach 126, 143 and 191% with diets containing 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5% of PP, while lipid peroxide (malondialdehyde) levels decreased significantly to reach around 54% of the heat stressed bucks¿ value with the three PP dietary doses used. It was concluded that supplementations of PP in the diet of bucks during summer season in Egypt can improve their semen characteristics, probably due to their antioxidant actions.Zeweil, HS.; Elnagar, S.; Zahran, SM.; Ahmed, MH.; El-gindy, Y. (2013). Pomegranate peel as a natural antioxidant boosts bucks' fertility under Egyptian summer conditions. World Rabbit Science. 21(1):33-39. doi:10.4995/wrs.2013.1209.SWORD333921

Annona Muricata L. extract restores renal function, oxidative stress, immunohistochemical structure, and gene expression of TNF-α, IL-β1, and CYP2E1 in the kidney of DMBA-intoxicated rats

Introduction: 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA) is a harmful polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derivative known for its cytotoxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic effects in mammals and other species. Annona muricata, L. (Graviola; GRV) is a tropical fruit tree traditionally well-documented for its various medicinal benefits. This investigation is the first report on the potential antioxidant and antinfammatory reno-protective impact of GRV against DMBA-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.Methods: Forty male albino rats were allocated into four equal groups (n = 10). The 1st group served as the control, the 2nd group (GRV) was gastro-gavaged with GRV (200 mg/kg b.wt), the 3rd group (DMBA) was treated with a single dose of DMBA (15 mg/kg body weight), and the 4th group (DMBA + GRV) was gastro-gavaged with a single dose of DMBA, followed by GRV (200 mg/kg b.wt). The GRV administration was continued for 8 weeks.Results and Discussion: Results revealed a significant improvement in renal function, represented by a decrease in urea, creatinine, and uric acid (UA) in the DMBA + GRV group. The antioxidant potential of GRV was confirmed in the DMBA + GRV group by a significant decline in malondialdehyde (MDA) and a significant increase in catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S transferase (GST), and reduced glutathione (GSH) compared to DMBA-intoxicated rats; however, it was not identical to the control. Additionally, the antiinflammatory role of GRV was suggested by a significant decline in mRNA expression of cytochrome P450, family 2, subfamily e, polypeptide 1 (CYP2E1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) in the DMBA + GRV group. Moreover, GRV improved the histopathologic and immunohistochemical expression of TNF-α, CYP450, and IL1β in DMBA-intoxicated kidney tissue. Conclusively, GRV is a natural medicinal product that can alleviate the renal injury resulting from environmental exposure to DMBA. The reno-protective effects of GRV may involve its anti-inflammatory and/or antioxidant properties, which are based on the presence of phytochemical compounds such as acetogenins, alkaloids, and flavonoids

Microbial and fungal phytases can affect growth performance, nutrient digestibility and blood profile of broilers fed different levels of non-phytic phosphorous

A total of 420 day old chicks were divided into seven groups (5 replicates of 12 chicks/group) fed isoproteic and isoenergetic diets. The control group was fed diets containing 0.50%, 0.45% and 0.40% of non-phytic phosphorous (nPP) in starter (1–35), grower (37–56) and finisher (57–64 d) periods, respectively. The three intermediate nPP (IntnPP) groups were fed diets with 0.40%, 0.35% and 0.30% nPP according to the growth period and were submitted to three dietary treatments: unsupplemented; supplemented with 500 FTU/kg diet of an Aspergillus niger phytase (IntnPP_fp) and supplemented with 500 FTU/kg diet of an Escherichia coli phytase (IntnPP_bp). The three low nPP groups fed diets contained 0.30%, 0.25% and 0.20% nPP and were submitted to the same dietary treatments than IntnPP to obtain LnPP, LnPP_fp and LnPP_bp groups. IntnPP and LnPP groups had lower body weight gain and feed, crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy (ME) intake (p < 0.05) than the control. Feed conversion ratio of IntnPP was more favorable (p < 0.01) than the LnPP group. CP and ME conversion ratios worsened (p < 0.01) in IntnPP and LnPP groups in comparison to the control. The nPP conversion ratio improved (p < 0.01) from the control to the LnPP group. Fungal phytase reduced (p < 0.05) feed, CP, ME and nPP intake than the bacterial one. IntnPP and LnPP diets had a lower digestibility of CP (p < 0.01) and CF (p = 0.01) than the control. IntnPP and LnPP groups showed a higher (p < 0.05) economic efficiency than the control. Blood total protein was the lowest (p < 0.05) in the LnPP group, the control group showed the lowest (p < 0.05) level of albumin and IntnPP group had the lowest (p < 0.01) globulin level. The use of bacterial phytase increased (p < 0.01) total protein and globulin and decreased (p < 0.05) the plasma cholesterol in comparison to fungal phytase. Decreasing nPP levels in colored slow-growing broilers diet negatively affects growth performance and the use of phytase can partly alleviate these negative effects, but the efficiency of different enzyme sources (bacterial or fungal) was tied to the dietary nPP levels

Effect of inorganic or organic copper additions on reproductive performance, lipid metabolism and morphology of organs of dual-purpose breeding hens

A total number of one hundred and twenty (100 female + 20 male) dual propose breeding chickens of Gimmizah strain was housed in individual cages in semi open house during 30-50 wks of age. Birds were distributed randomly into five treatments (20 female + 4 male). The 1st treatment was fed a control, unsupplemented, diet (17.5% CP and 11.4 MJ ME/kg) containing 10 mg Cu/kg by analysis. The 2(nd), 3(rd), 4(th) and 5(th) treatments were fed the control diet supplemented with 60 and 120 mg Cu/kg from inorganic (Copper sulfate pentahydrate) and organic sources (Bioplex (R) Cu-lysine, 10%), respectively. Productive and reproductive performance, egg quality, plasma and yolk cholesterol and histopathology of liver, spleen and intestinal were investigated. Level and/or source of Cu did not significantly affect laying rate, EW, EM, and FCR. Piped embryos significantly (P < 0.004) decreased due to addition of 120 ppm of ICu and 60 ppm of OCu. The tibia Ca percentages significantly (P < 0.005) increased due to Cu supplementation. Level and/or source of Cu significantly (P < 0.01 and P <0.0001) affected plasma cholesterol. Yolk cholesterol significantly decreased with Cu addition at both levels of supplemented Cu sources. The plasma Cu significantly (P < 0.0001) increased with Cu supplementation at 60 and 120 ppm and OCu was more efficient than ICu. In conclusion, Cu level at 10 ppm was adequate for productive and reproductive performance and egg quality of laying hens. Although, addition at 60 ppm OCu decreased cholesterol in plasma and egg yolk this can't be recommended due to its toxic effect on organ morphology confirming EU regulation of 35 ppm as the maximum permitted level