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.

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