Comparison of ABTS, DPPH, Phosphomolybdenum Assays for Estimating Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Compounds in Five Different Plant Extracts

Many plants and their constituents (carotenoids, flavonoids and other phenolic compounds), action to inhibit the free radical by the use of antioxidant activity, helping to a better efficiency of nutrients utilization. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activity and phenolic content of five different plants, known for their antioxidant potential. Total phenols were determined by FolinCiocalteumethod, with few modifications. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH, ABTS radical-scavenging activity and phosphomolybdenum method. The results showed that the highest antioxidant activity was obtained for walnut leaves in terms of ABTS evaluation and for bilberry leaves by DPPH and phosphomolybdenum methods. In the present study, peppermint, walnut and bilberry leaves proved to have an important antioxidant activity and also a total phenolic content

Flaxseeds: Nutritional Potential and Bioactive Compounds

The objective of this work was to study the nutritional and bioactive composition of commercially available flaxseeds with the aim to develop new alternatives for their use as functional and nutraceutical food ingredient. The samples of flaxseed contained 20.86% protein, 31.16% fat, 29.07% crude fiber and 3.75% ash. Essential amino acids represented 34% of total protein. The amino acids profile showed that glutamic acid was the most abundant (3.87 g 100 g-1), followed by arginine (1.93 g 100 g-1) and aspartic acid (1.52 g 100 g-1). Fatty acids analysis indicated that alpha-linolenic acid represents the major fatty acid (54.51% of the total fatty acids). The ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids was 8.67 while the n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio was 3.2. Total phenolics showed average contents of 295.92 mg GAE 100 g-1, of which flavonoids accounted for 25.85 mg QE 100 g-1. The results confirmed that, in addition to being one of the richest sources of alpha-linolenic acid, flaxseed is an essential source of high quality protein, soluble fiber and potent natural antioxidants

Dietary Willow Bark Extract for Broilers Reared Under Heat Stress

A 28-day feeding trial was conducted on 60, Cobb 500 broilers (14 days), assigned to 2 groups (C, E) housed in an experimental hall (32° C, 23 h light regimen). Compared to the conventional diet C, the experimental diet (E) included 1% white willow bark extract (WBE). At 42 days of age, 6 blood samples /group were collected and 6 broilers/ group were slaughtered and caecal content was collected. The dietary WBE didn’t influence broiler performance. The serum concentrations of glycaemia, cholesterol and triglycerides were lower (P <0.05) in E group than in C group. E broilers had the lowest count (P<0.05) of Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli and staphylococci colony forming units in the caecal content. The inclusion of WBE (1%) in the diet of broilers reared at 32° C had an hypocholesterolemiant and hypoglycaemic effect and reduced the pathogenic bacteria in the caecum

Maintaining intestinal microflora balance in heat-stressed broilers using dietary creeping wood sorrel (Oxalis corniculata) powder and chromium (chromium picolinate)

This study aimed to determine the effect of dietary creeping wood sorrel powder (Oxalis corniculata) and chromium supplemented to broilers (1-42 days) exposed to heat stress, on their performance and on the intestinal and caecal microbiota.Area of study: Ilfov, RomaniaMaterial and methods: The feeding trial was conducted on 60, day-old Cobb 500 broilers, divided equally in two groups, each group with six replicates (5 chicks/ replicate). The broilers were housed in an experimental hall at 32° C constant temperature and 23h light regimen. Unlike the dietary control diet (C), the experimental diet (E) was supplemented with 1% creeping wood sorrel powder and 20 mg chromium picolinate/ kg premix. One bird from each replication was slaughtered on days 28 and 42, and samples of caecal and intestinal content were collected for bacteriological analysis.Main results: The dietary creeping wood sorrel powder and chromium supplements for heat-stressed broilers had no significant influence on their growth performance (1-42 d). Overall, E diet had a beneficial effect on the balance of the caecal microflora; however, in the intestine, E diet had a positive influence on the balance of the intestinal microflora, only for the samples collected at 28 days.Research highlights: Dietary creeping wood sorrel powder and chromium supplements can be an efficient tool for maintaining a proper balance of intestinal microflora in heat-stressed broilers.

Nutritional characterization and the antioxidant properties of sweet orange and red grapefruit peels

Sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis) and red grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) are fruits consumed frequently in the world, being part of the human diet for decades due to high nutritional and medicinal values. These are excellent sources of vitamin C, a powerful natural antioxidant that builds the body's immune system. Their consumption (natural or processed) generates more quantities of shells and wastes that cause pollution of the environment under incorrect handling conditions. The study was conducted to analyze the potential of orange and grapefruit peels, from a chemical point of view, to determine the nutritional value for inclusion in broiler feed. The orange peels were characterized by a 5.42% crude protein and 1.04% crude fat vs. 5.78% and 0.80% grapefruit. The total content of polyphenols (mg acid galic /g) determined was higher with 36.01% in grapefruit peels compared to those of oranges. Antioxidant capacity was determined by two in vitro methods. The grapefruit peels were characterized by a high antioxidant capacity (288.49 mmol /kg equivalent ascorbic acid) with 51.39% higher than the values of the orange peels, in the first method. For the second method, the determined antioxidant capacity was with 61.20% higher than the orange peels (95.46 mmol/ kg equivalent vitamin E). Based on these results, the analyzed byproducts fulfill the necessary conditions to be integrated into the animal feed, and they will be tested in an experiment on broiler chickens in order to improve the nutritional quality of the meat

Piglets’ Intestinal Microflora Fed with a Plants Mix

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a plant mix (bilberry, black currant, quince, peppermint and fennel essential oil) inclusion into the diets of piglets (18-45 kg) on intestinal microflora equilibrium. An experiment was performed on 8 castrated hybrid TOPIGS (18.69±1.25 kg) divided in 2 groups (C and E). The piglets were kept in an experimental house in individual metabolic cages. Compared to the conventional diet (18% crude protein and 3214 kcal/kg metabolic energy) of group C, the diet of E group had included 789 mg mixture of plants/kg feed. At the final of the experiment the piglets were slaughtered and digesta samples were collected from jejunum and ileum for microbiological analysis. For jejunum, a significant (P<0.05) decrease of Staphylococci spp. (log10 CFU/g) concentration in E group was noticed correlated strongly negative with a statistically significant (P<0.05) increasing concentration of Lactobacillus spp. (log10 CFU/g) concentration. The results were similar for ileum. This dietary mixture of plants had some effects on microbial population of piglets’ jejunum and ileum to help positively the intestinal changes of microbiota

Dietary ascorbic acid and chromium supplementation for broilers reared under thermoneutral conditions vs. high heat stress

The present study evaluates the effect of dietary ascorbic acid and chromium (AACr) on performance and microflora balance of broiler reared under thermoneutral conditions (TN) vs. high heat stress (HS). Two experiments were conducted on 112 Cobb 500 broilers, assigned in two experimental groups (28 chickens/group) and housed in an environmental controlled hall. Two groups (C-TN and AACr-TN) were kept in thermoneutral conditions. In the second experiment, other two groups were kept (C-HS and AACr-HS) in high heat stress (32° C). The structure of diets was the same in both experiments. Compared with the control diet (C), the experimental diet included the addition of a premix with 25 g ascorbic acid / kg premix + 20 mg chromium picolinate/ kg premix (AACr). At the end of the experiment, 8 broilers / group were slaughtered and samples of intestinal and caecal content were collected for bacteriological assessment. Dietary AACr did not affect (p>0.05) body weight, daily feed intake, feed conversion rate neither under TN nor under HS condition. The use of AACr in broiler diet led to a significantly reduction of staphylococci in the caecum. Both in caecum and intestinal content of AACr broilers, irrespective the temperature conditions the number of lactobacilli was significantly higher than in the C broilers. Combination of ascorbic acid and Cr (AACr) has a positive effect in limiting the development of the pathogenic bacteria colonizing the intestine and caecum during the heat stress