The Use of Probiotics in Poultry Production for the Control of Bacterial Infections and Aflatoxins

In intensive poultry production, a large number of antimicrobials are frequently employed to prevent (prophylactic use) and treat (therapeutic use) diseases, as well as for growth promotion (subtherapeutic use), in order to increase productivity. However, it has been reported that the use of antimicrobials at subtherapeutic doses is closely related to the increase in bacterial resistance and with the treatment failure. In addition to antimicrobial resistance, another problem derived from the use of antimicrobials is the presence of residues in animal products. Therefore, these problems and the ban of antimicrobial as growth promoters have prompted the poultry industry to look for alternatives with similar benefits to antibiotics. Among these alternatives, probiotics are one of the most widely studied and interesting groups. Hence, in the present chapter, the effect of probiotics and direct-fed microbial against foodborne pathogens and mycotoxins will be summarized

Use of Prebiotics as an Alternative to Antibiotic Growth Promoters in the Poultry Industry

Nowadays there is a great concern about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has been recognized as one of the most serious global public health threats. Multilateral organizations focused on global health accept the use of antibiotics in animal production as one of the main drivers of AMR, so that many strategies to control this problem have been proposed, resulting in the total ban of antibiotics as growth-promoting agents. On the other hand, this ban has led to an increase in the incidence of bacterial infections or even to the use of antibiotics at therapeutic doses, which could cause a worse scenario of bacterial resistance. Poultry is one of the most commonly exploited species worldwide and a sector that continues to grow and industrialize in many parts of the world, so it was to be expected that a large part of the antibiotics used in animal production was destined to this industry. The reduction or complete abolition of antibiotics in poultry production would have a positive effect in the control of AMR, but this would also have negative economic and public health repercussions, caused by foodborne pathogens and the decrease of the productive parameters. For that, many specific alternatives have been evaluated and marketed, prebiotics being one of the most promising alternatives for the poultry industry

Chitoneous Materials for Control of Foodborne Pathogens and Mycotoxins in Poultry

Public concern with the incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly among foodborne pathogens has been challenging the poultry industry to find alternative means of control. Chitosan is a modified, natural biopolymer derived by deacetylation of chitin. The antimicrobial activity and film-forming property of chitosan makes it a potential source of food preservative or coating material of natural origin for improvement of quality and shelf life of various foods of agriculture, poultry, beef and seafood origin. In addition to its use as an antimicrobial, it has been shown that it has good properties as a mycotoxin adsorbent. The purposes of the present chapter is to summarize our experience using chitin-chitosan from Deacetylated 95% food grade chitosan (Paragon Specialty Products LLC Rainsville, AL) or Aspergillus oryzae meal (Fermacto®, PetAg Inc., Hampshire IL) to control foodborne pathogens, improve performance, biological sanitizer and mycotoxin binder in commercial poultry

Control of Aflatoxicosis in Poultry Using Probiotics and Polymers

An important approach to prevent aflatoxicosis in poultry is the addition of non-nutritional adsorbents in the diet to bind aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in the gastrointestinal tract. These adsorbents are large molecular weight compounds that are able to bind the mycotoxin, forming a stable complex adsorbent-mycotoxin, which can pass through the gastrointestinal tract. In this chapter, we evaluate the use of polymers and probiotics to reduce AFB1 toxic effects in poultry. Our results on the efficacy of polymers and probiotics in sequestering mycotoxins are highly promising, although this field is still in its infancy and further research is needed. Furthermore, in vivo studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of these materials against AFB1 toxic effects, since results in the past have indicated that there is great variability in the efficacy of adsorbing materials in vivo, even though the compounds may show potential adsorption capacity of the mycotoxin in vitro

Impact of a Bacillus Direct-Fed Microbial on Growth Performance, Intestinal Barrier Integrity, Necrotic Enteritis Lesions, and Ileal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens Using a Laboratory Challenge Model

Decreases in the use of antibiotics and anticoccidials in the poultry industry have risen the appearance of necrotic enteritis (NE). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a Bacillus direct-fed microbial (DFM) on growth performance, intestinal integrity, NE lesions and ileal microbiota using a previously established NE-challenged model. At day-of-hatch, chicks were randomly assigned to three different groups: Negative control (NC), Positive control (PC) challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium (day 1), Eimeria maxima (EM, day 13) and Clostridium perfringens (CP, day 18–19), and Bacillus-DFM group (DFM) challenged as the PC. Body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) were measured weekly. Total feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were evaluated at day 21. Liver samples were collected to assess bacterial translocation and blood samples were used to measure superoxide dismutase (SOD) and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-d). Intestinal contents were obtained for determination of total IgA and microbiota analysis. NE lesion scores (LS) were performed at day 21. Chickens consuming the DFM significantly improved BW and had a numerically more efficient FCR compared to PC at day 21. Additionally, there were no significant differences in FCR between the DFM group and NC. Furthermore, the DFM group showed significant reductions in LS, IgA and FITC-d levels compared to the PC. However, there were no significant differences in SOD between the groups. The microbiota analysis indicated that the phylum Proteobacteria was significantly reduced in the DFM group in comparison to PC. At the genus level, Clostridium, Turicibacter, Enterococcus, and Streptococcus were reduced, whereas, Lactobacillus and Bacillus were increased in the DFM group as compared to PC (p < 0.05). Likewise, the DFM significantly reduced CP as compared to PC. In contrary, no significant differences were observed in bacterial composition between NC vs. DFM. In addition, beta diversity showed significant differences in the microbial community structure between NC vs. PC, and PC vs. DFM. These results suggest that the dietary inclusion of a selected DFM could mitigate the complex negative impacts caused by NE possibly through mechanism(s) that might involve modulation of the gut microbiota

Development of Chitosan and Alginate Nanocapsules to Increase the Solubility, Permeability and Stability of Curcumin

International audiencePurpose Curcumin (CUR), a natural polyphenolic compound, has several pharmacological uses, primarily regarding its anti-inflammatory, chemotherapeutic, and antioxidant properties. However, to date, a significant drawback of curcumin is its poor bioavailability due to its low solubility and permeability. Therefore, the association of curcumin in polymeric nanocapsules may be an excellent strategy to increase its bioavailability. Methods Two nanocapsule systems were developed with an oily core of vitamin E surrounded by a biodegradable polymeric shell of either chitosan (NC-CS) or alginate (NC-ALG) capable of improving the encapsulation efficiency, stability, and perme-ability of CUR. NC-CS and NC-ALG showed particle sizes of approximately 116.7 ± 3.2 and 178 ± 7.9 nm, dispersities of 0.107 and 0.149, and zeta potentials of 24.4 ± 2.1 and − 49.0 ± 2.3 mV, respectively. Results The encapsulation efficiency was approximately 90% in both cases, and they were demonstrated to be stable under storage conditions for 3 months. Cytotoxicity studies performed in Caco-2 cells using the method of trypan blue dye revealed that even at a high concentration of chitosan and alginate (157.9 μg/cm 2 or 600 mg/mL), both of the nanocapsules were not toxic, exhibiting cell viability > 80%. The permeability was evaluated using Caco-2 cells as an in vitro model of the epithelial barrier. The obtained results show that the permeability of NC-CS and NC-ALG encapsulated CUR was considerably higher compared to that of an aqueous suspension. Conclusions The obtained results suggest that nanocapsules could improve the solubility, permeability, and stability of curcumin

Discriminative Dissolution Method Using the Open-Loop Configuration of the USP IV Apparatus to Compare Dissolution Profiles of Metoprolol Tartrate Immediate-Release Tablets: Use of Kinetic Parameters

The use of the USP IV apparatus (flow-through cell) has gained acceptance in recent years due to its versatility and ability to discriminate due to its hydrodynamic conditions. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to develop a discriminative dissolution method in the USP IV apparatus using the open-loop configuration, as well as to propose a method to compare non-cumulative dissolution profiles obtained in the open-loop configuration considering kinetic parameters and validate its predictive power through its comparison with independent and dependent methods using five commercial immediate-release tablet drugs (one reference drug and four generic drugs) of metoprolol tartrate as a model drug. The comparison of the non-accumulated dissolution profiles consisted of determining the geometric ratio of Cmax, AUC0∞, AUC0Cmax, and Tmax (kinetic parameters) of the generic/reference drugs, whereby generic drugs “C” and “D” presented the highest probability of similarity since their 90% confidence intervals were included, or they were very close to the acceptance interval (80.00–125.00%). These results were consistent with the f2, bootstrap f2, and dissolution efficiency approaches (independent models). In conclusion, the proposed comparison method can be an important tool to establish similarity in dissolution profiles and to facilitate the development/selection of new formulations and positively ensure bioequivalence in clinical studies

Evaluation of Ascorbic Acid or Curcumin Formulated in a Solid Dispersion on Salmonella Enteritidis Infection and Intestinal Integrity in Broiler Chickens

Two experimental models were conducted to evaluate and compare the effect of ascorbic acid (AA) or curcumin formulated in a solid dispersion (SD-CUR) as prophylactic or therapeutic alternatives to prevent or control S. Enteritidis (SE) infection in broiler chickens. In the prophylactic model, dietary administration of AA showed a significant reduction in SE counts in crop compared to the positive control (PC) group (p < 0.05), whereas in cecal tonsils (CT), SD-CUR significantly reduced SE recovery. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly higher in chickens supplemented with AA or SD-CUR, and total intestinal IgA levels were significantly lower in both treatments when compared to the PC group. Serum fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-d) levels were reduced by SD-CUR compared to PC, while AA presented significantly lower total aerobic bacteria. In the therapeutic model, only the dietary administration of AA significantly decreased SE in crop and CT on days 3 and 10 post-challenge. FITC-d levels were significantly lower in both treated groups in comparison to PC, but IgA levels were significantly reduced only by AA. The results suggest that dietary AA and SD-CUR have different modes of action to reduce SE intestinal colonization in two different challenge models in broiler chickens

Evaluation of a Solid Dispersion of Curcumin With Polyvinylpyrrolidone and Boric Acid Against Salmonella Enteritidis Infection and Intestinal Permeability in Broiler Chickens: A Pilot Study

In the present study, in vitro assays were conducted to evaluate the solubility of curcumin (CUR) alone or with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) at different pH, as well as its permeability in Caco-2 cells. Results confirmed that the solid dispersion of CUR with PVP (CUR/PVP) at a 1:9 ratio, significantly increased (P < 0.05) solubility and permeability compared to CUR alone. Then, the antimicrobial activity of CUR/PVP, boric acid (BA), and a combination of 0.5% CUR/PVP and 0.5% BA (CUR/PVP-BA) against Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) was determined using an in vitro digestion model that simulates crop, proventriculus, and intestine. The results revealed that in the proventriculus and intestinal compartments significant reductions of SE were observed in all the experimental treatments, but 1% BA eliminated SE in the intestinal compartment and CUR/PVP-BA showed a synergistic effect on antimicrobial activity against SE. To complement these findings, two independent in vivo trials were conducted to determine the effect of 0.1% CUR/PVP; 0.1% BA; or the combination of 0.05% CUR/PVP (1:9 ratio) and 0.05% BA (CUR/PVP-BA) on the antimicrobial activity against SE, intestinal permeability and inflammatory responses in broiler chickens. BA at 0.1% had no significant in vivo effects against SE. However, the combination of 0.05% BA and 0.05% CUR/PVP and 0.05% BA was sufficient to reduce crop and intestinal SE colonization in broiler chickens in two independent trials, confirming the synergic effect between them. A similar antimicrobial impact against SE intestinal colonization was observed in chickens treated with 0.1% CUR/PVP at a 1:9 ratio, which could be due to the increase in solubility of CUR by PVP. Furthermore, 0.1% CUR/PVP reduced the intestinal permeability of FITC-d and total intestinal IgA, as well as increase the activity of SOD when compared to control, while, CUR/PVP-BA only decreased SOD activity. Further studies to confirm and expand the in vivo results obtained in this pilot study, adding intestinal microbial commensal groups and more inflammatory biomarkers to get a complete description of the effects of BA and CUR deserves further investigation

Evaluation of the Dietary Supplementation of a Formulation Containing Ascorbic Acid and a Solid Dispersion of Curcumin with Boric Acid against <i>Salmonella</i> Enteritidis and Necrotic Enteritis in Broiler Chickens

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of the prophylactic or therapeutic administration of a 0.1% mixture containing ascorbic acid and a solid dispersion of curcumin with polyvinylpyrrolidone and boric acid (AA-CUR/PVP-BA) against Salmonella Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) in broiler chickens. A third experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of the dietary administration of 0.1% AA-CUR/PVP-BA in a necrotic enteritis (NE) model in broiler chickens. The prophylactic administration of 0.1% AA-CUR/PVP-BA significantly decreased S. Enteritidis colonization in cecal tonsils (CT) when compared to the positive control group (PC, p &lt; 0.05). The therapeutic administration of 0.1% AA-CUR/PVP-BA significantly reduced the concentration of S. Enteritidis by 2.05 and 2.71 log in crop and CT, respectively, when compared with the PC on day 10 post-S. Enteritidis challenge. Furthermore, the serum FITC-d concentration and total intestinal IgA levels were also significantly lower in chickens that received 0.1% AA-CUR/PVP-BA. Contrary, the PC group showed significantly higher total intestinal IgA levels compared to the negative control or AA-CUR/PVP-BA groups in the NE model. However, 0.1% AA-CUR/PVP-BA showed a better effect in reducing the concentration of S. Enteritidis when compared to the NE model. Further studies with higher concentration of AA-CUR/PVP-BA into the feed to extend these preliminary results are currently being evaluated