Role of Phytobiotics in Modulating Transcriptomic Profile in Carps: A Mini-Review.

Carp is a key aquaculture species worldwide. The intensification of carp farming, aimed at meeting the high demand for protein sources for human consumption, has resulted in adverse effects such as poor water quality, increased stress, and disease outbreaks. While antibiotics have been utilized to mitigate these issues, their use poses risks to both public health and the environment. As a result, alternative and more sustainable practices have been adopted to manage the health of farmed carp, including the use of probiotics, prebiotics, phytobiotics, and vaccines to prevent disease outbreaks. Phytobiotics, being both cost-effective and abundant, have gained widespread acceptance. They offer various benefits in carp farming, such as improved growth performance, enhanced immune system, increased antioxidant capacity, stress alleviation from abiotic factors, and enhanced disease resistance. Currently, a focal point of research involves employing molecular approaches to assess the impacts of phytobiotics in aquatic animals. Gene expression, the process by which genetic information encoded is translated into function, along with transcription profiling, serves as a crucial tool for detecting changes in gene expression within cells. These changes provide valuable insights into the growth rate, immune system, and flesh quality of aquatic animals. This review delves into the positive impacts of phytobiotics on immune responses, growth, antioxidant capabilities, and flesh quality, all discerned through gene expression changes in carp species. Furthermore, this paper explores existing research gaps and outlines future prospects for the utilization of phytobiotics in aquaculture.

Design of Two New Sulfur Derivatives of Perezone: In Silico Study Simulation Targeting PARP-1 and In Vitro Study Validation Using Cancer Cell Lines.

Poly-ADP-Ribose Polymerase (PARP-1) is an overexpressed enzyme in several carcinomas; consequently, the design of PARP-1 inhibitors has acquired special attention. Hence, in the present study, three compounds (8-10) were produced through a Michael addition protocol, using phenylmethanethiol, 5-fluoro-2-mercaptobenzyl alcohol, and 4-mercaptophenylacetic acid, respectively, as nucleophiles and perezone as the substrate, expecting them to be convenient candidates that inhibit PARP-1. It is convenient to note that in the first stage of the whole study, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and the quantum chemistry studies of four secondary metabolites, i.e., perezone (1), perezone angelate (2), hydroxyperezone (3), and hydroxyperezone monoangelate (4), were performed, to investigate their interactions in the active site of PARP-1. Complementarily, a docking study of a set of eleven sulfur derivatives of perezone (5-15) was projected to explore novel compounds, with remarkable affinity to PARP-1. The molecules 8-10 provided the most adequate results; therefore, they were evaluated in vitro to determine their activity towards PARP-1, with 9 having the best IC50 (0.317 µM) value. Additionally, theoretical calculations were carried out using the density functional theory (DFT) with the hybrid method B3LYP with a set of base functions 6-311++G(d,p), and the reactivity properties were compared between the natural derivatives of perezone and the three synthesized compounds, and the obtained results exhibited that 9 has the best properties to bind with PARP-1. Finally, it is important to mention that 9 displays significant inhibitory activity against MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, i.e., 145.01 and 83.17 µM, respectively.

Impact of dietary Moringa oleifera leaf supplementation on gut morphometry, behaviour and physiological parameters in growing male rabbits.

Moringa oleifera (MO), a cultivated species of the Moringa, is known for its high concentration of essential nutrients that promote growth. To assess its impact on rabbits' gut morphometric, behavioural, and physiological parameters, a study was conducted using sixty growing male white New Zealand rabbits at 40 days old. The rabbits were divided into four groups and supplemented with dried MO leaves at varying levels (0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% of body weight) for four weeks. The results revealed significant increases in organ weights, such as liver and intestinal length, and the height of intestinal villi and crypt depth in the large intestine. The muscular layer's and submucosa's thickness also increased in different parts of the intestine in rabbits fed with MO compared to the control group. No significant effect was observed on the caecum mucosa depth. Interestingly, no significant differences were found in body weight or weight gain between the Moringa supplementation groups and the control group. However, rabbits offered 0%, 0.5% and 1% MO spent more time feeding and resting than those given 2% MO. The grooming and sniffing percentage remained unaffected by Moringa supplementation. Regarding blood parameters, rabbits that received MO leaves in their diet showed improvements in red blood cell count, haemoglobin levels, packed cell volume, white blood cell count, neutrophil count, total protein, globulin, and A/G ratio. Moreover, there was a significant decrease in malondialdehyde levels and an increase in glutathione and high-density lipoprotein levels, indicating an antioxidative effect. Overall, the study concluded that MO leaves supplementation in the rabbit diet positively influenced the rabbits' health by modulating the immune system, improving histological aspects of the intestine, liver, and spleen, and enhancing physiological parameters through its antioxidative properties.

Resveratrol impacts on aquatic animals: a review.

Aquaculture has intensified tremendously with the increasing demand for protein sources as the global population grows. However, this industry is plagued with major challenges such as poor growth performance, the lack of a proper environment, and immune system impairment, thus creating stress for the aquaculture species and risking disease outbreaks. Currently, prophylactics such as antibiotics, vaccines, prebiotics, probiotics, and phytobiotics are utilized to minimize the negative impacts of high-density farming. One of the promising prophylactic agents incorporated in fish feed is resveratrol, a commercial phytophenol derived via the methanol extraction method. Recent studies have revealed many beneficial effects of resveratrol in aquatic animals. Therefore, this review discusses and summarizes the roles of resveratrol in improving growth performance, flesh quality, immune system, antioxidant capacity, disease resistance, stress mitigation, and potential combination with other prophylactic agents for aquatic animals.

Evaluation of Phytochemical Screening, Pigment Content, In Vitro Antioxidant, Antibacterial Potential and GC-MS Metabolite Profiling of Green Seaweed Caulerpa racemosa.

Exploration of seaweeds to unravel their bioactive metabolites from the perspective of wider applications gained substantial importance. The present study was performed to investigate the total phenolic, flavonoid, tannin content, antioxidant activity and antibacterial potential of various solvent extracts of green seaweed Caulerpa racemosa. The methanolic extract showed higher phenolic (11.99 ± 0.48 mg gallic acid equivalents/g), tannin (18.59 ± 0.54 mg tannic acid equivalents/g) and flavonoid (33.17 ± 0.76 mg quercetin equivalents/g) content than other extracts. Antioxidant activity was determined by using 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay with different concentrations of C. racemosa extracts. The methanolic extract showed higher scavenging potential in both the DPPH and ABTS activity with the inhibition value of 54.21 ± 1.39% and 76.62 ± 1.08%, respectively. Bioactive profiling was also identified by using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) techniques. These studies revealed the presence of valuable bioactive compounds in C. racemosa extracts and these compounds might be responsible for antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer and anti-mutagenic properties. Major compounds identified in GC-MS were 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol, 3-hexadecene and Phthalic acid. In terms of antibacterial activity, C. racemosa has promising antibacterial potential against aquatic pathogens Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas veronii and Aeromonas salmonicida. Further evaluation studies focusing aquatic related aspects would reveal the novel bioproperties and applications of C. racemosa.

Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of a Formulation Containing Ascorbic Acid and Eudragit FS 30D Microparticles for the Controlled Release of a Curcumin-Boric Acid Solid Dispersion in Turkey Poults Infected with Salmonella enteritidis: A Therapeutic Model.

The selection of components within a formulation or for treatment must stop being arbitrary and must be focused on scientific evidence that supports the inclusion of each one. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to obtain a formulation based on ascorbic acid (AA) and Eudragit FS 30D microparticles containing curcumin-boric acid (CUR-BA) considering interaction studies between the active components carried out via Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to minimize antagonistic effects, and comprehensively and effectively treat turkey poults infected with Salmonella enteritidis (S. enteritidis). The DSC and FTIR studies clearly demonstrated the interactions between AA, BA, and CUR. Consequently, the combination of AA with CUR and/or BA should be avoided, but not CUR and BA. Furthermore, the Eudragit FS 30D microparticles containing CUR-BA (SD CUR-BA MP) showed a limited release of CUR-BA in an acidic medium, but they were released at a pH 6.8-7.0, which reduced the interactions between CUR-BA and AA. Finally, in the S. enteritidis infection model, turkey poults treated with the combination of AA and SD CUR-BA MP presented lower counts of S. enteritidis in cecal tonsils after 10 days of treatment. These results pointed out that the use of an adequate combination of AA and CUR-BA as an integral treatment of S. enteritidis infections could be a viable option to replace the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.

Aquatic Peptide: The Potential Anti-Cancer and Anti-Microbial Activity of GE18 Derived from Pathogenic Fungus Aphanomyces invadans.

Small molecules as well as peptide-based therapeutic approaches have attracted global interest due to their lower or no toxicity in nature, and their potential in addressing several health complications including immune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, osteoporosis and cancer. This study proposed a peptide, GE18 of subtilisin-like peptidase from the virulence factor of aquatic pathogenic fungus Aphanomyces invadans, which elicits anti-cancer and anti-microbial activities. To understand the potential GE18 peptide-induced biological effects, an in silico analysis, in vitro (L6 cells) and in vivo toxicity assays (using zebrafish embryo), in vitro anti-cancer assays and anti-microbial assays were performed. The outcomes of the in silico analyses demonstrated that the GE18 peptide has potent anti-cancer and anti-microbial activities. GE18 is non-toxic to in vitro non-cancerous cells and in vivo zebrafish larvae. However, the peptide showed significant anti-cancer properties against MCF-7 cells with an IC50 value of 35.34 µM, at 24 h. Besides the anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells, the peptide exposure does promote the ROS concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential and the subsequent upregulation of anti-cancer genes. On the other hand, GE18 elicits significant anti-microbial activity against P. aeruginosa, wherein GE18 significantly inhibits bacterial biofilm formation. Since the peptide has positively charged amino acid residues, it targets the cell membrane, as is evident in the FESEM analysis. Based on these outcomes, it is possible that the GE18 peptide is a significant anti-cancer and anti-microbial molecule.

Ophthalmic Intervention of Naringenin Decreases Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor by Counteracting Oxidative Stress and Cellular Damage in In Vivo Zebrafish.

Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease that leads to microvascular complications like Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a major cause of blindness worldwide. Current medications for DR are expensive and report multiple side effects; therefore, an alternative medication that alleviates the disease condition is required. An interventional approach targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) remains a treatment strategy for DR. Anti-VEGF medicines are being investigated as the main therapy for managing vision-threatening complications of DR, such as diabetic macular oedema. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of flavonoid naringenin (NG) from citrus fruits on inhibiting early DR in zebrafish. When exposed to 130 mM glucose, the zebrafish larvae developed a hyperglycaemic condition accompanied by oxidative stress, cellular damage, and lipid peroxidation. Similarly, when adult zebrafish were exposed to 4% Glucose, high glucose levels were observed in the ocular region and massive destruction in the retinal membrane. High glucose upregulated the expression of VEGF. In comparison, the co-exposure to NG inhibited oxidative stress and cellular damage and restored the glutathione levels in the ocular region of the zebrafish larvae. NG regressed the glucose levels and cellular damage along with an inhibition of macular degeneration in the retina of adult zebrafish and normalized the overexpression of VEGF as a promising strategy for treating DR. Therefore, intervention of NG could alleviate the domestication of alternative medicine in ophthalmic research.

Potentials of Aloe barbadensis inclusion in fish feeds on resilience to Aeromonas hydrophila infection in freshwater fish Labeo rohita.

Aquatic bacterial pathogens can cause severe economic loss in aquaculture industry. An opportunistic pathogen, Aeromonas hydrophila is responsible for Motile Aeromonas Septicemia, leading to high mortality rates in fish. The present study was focused on the efficacy of Aloe barbadensis replacing fishmeal diets on hematological, serum biochemical, antioxidant, histopathological parameters, and disease resistance against A. hydrophila infection in Labeo rohita. Isonitrogenous fishmeal replaced diets (FMR) were prepared with varying levels of A. barbadensis at D1 (0%) (control), D2 (25%), D3 (50%), D4 (75%) and D5 (100%) then fed to L. rohita. After 60 days of post-feeding, the experimental fish were challenged with A. hydrophila. Blood and organs were collected and examined at 1- and 15-days post infection (dpi). The results demonstrated that on 1 dpi, white blood cells (WBC), total protein, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly increased in D3 diet fed groups. The D2 and D3 diet fed group showed decreasing trends of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and antioxidant enzymes activity on 15 dpi. The histopathological architecture results clearly illustrated that the D3 diet fed group had given a higher protective effect by reducing the pathological changes associated with A. hydrophila infection in liver, intestine and muscle. Higher percentage of survival rate was also observed in D3 diet fed group. Therefore, the present study suggested that the dietary administration of A. barbadensis up to 50% fishmeal replacement (D3 diet) can elicit earlier antioxidant activity, innate immune response and improve survival rate in L. rohita against A. hydrophila infection.

The Ability of Chlorophyll to Trap Carcinogen Aflatoxin B1: A Theoretical Approach.

The coordination of one and two aflatoxin B1 (AFB1, a potent carcinogen) molecules with chlorophyll a (chl a) was studied at a theoretical level. Calculations were performed using the M06-2X method in conjunction with the 6-311G(d,p) basis set, in both gas and water phases. The molecular electrostatic potential map shows the chemical activity of various sites of the AFB1 and chl a molecules. The energy difference between molecular orbitals of AFB1 and chl a allowed for the establishment of an intermolecular interaction. A charge transfer from AFB1 to the central cation of chl a was shown. The energies of the optimized structures for chl a show two configurations, unfolded and folded, with a difference of 15.41 kcal/mol. Chl a appeared axially coordinated to the plane (α-down or ß-up) of the porphyrin moiety, either with the oxygen atom of the ketonic group, or with the oxygen atom of the lactone moiety of AFB1. The complexes of maximum stability were chl a 1-α-E-AFB1 and chl a 2-ß-E-AFB1, at -36.4 and -39.2 kcal/mol, respectively. Additionally, with two AFB1 molecules were chl a 1-D-2AFB1 and chl a 2-E-2AFB1, at -60.0 and -64.8 kcal/mol, respectively. Finally, biosorbents containing chlorophyll could improve AFB1 adsorption.

Effect of Oral Administration with Lactobacillus plantarum CAM6 Strain on Sows during Gestation-Lactation and the Derived Impact on Their Progeny Performance.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the biological response of the sows and their offspring with oral administration of Lactobacillus plantarum CAM6 in breeding sows, a total of 20 Pietrain breeding sows with three farrowings and their descendants were used, randomly divided into two groups of 10 sows each. Treatments included a basal diet (T0) and basal diet +10 mL biological agent containing 109 CFU/mL L. plantarum CAM6 (T1). No antibiotics were used throughout the entire experimental process of this study. RESULTS: The L. Plantarum CAM6 supplementation in sows' feeding did not affect (P > 0.05) the reproductive performance of the sows; however, the number of deaths for their offspring before weaning (P ≤ 0.05) decreased. In addition, the oral administration of Lactobacillus plantarum CAM6 in sows increased (P ≤ 0.05) the content of lactose, nonfat solids, mineral salts, and the density of sows' milk, with a decrease in milk fat. Moreover, the probiotic feed orally to the sows improved the body weight (P ≤ 0.05) and reduced the diarrhea incidence of their offspring (P ≤ 0.05). Also, the probiotic administration of sows changed (P ≤ 0.05) the serum concentration of Na+, pCO2, and D-ß-hydroxybutyrate and increased (P ≤ 0.05) the leukocytes, lymphocytes, and platelets in their piglets. CONCLUSION: Oral administration of Lactobacillus plantarum CAM6 in breeding sows improved body weight, physiological status, and the health of their offspring. And preparing the neonatal piglets physiologically is of great importance to the pig farming industry which could decrease the operational cost and medication (especially antibiotics) consumption of the pig producers.

Development of real-time PCR assay for quantitative detection of Clostridium septicum.

Cellulitis is an important disease in commercial turkey farms associated with significant economic loss. Although the etiology of cellulitis is not fully elucidated, Clostridium septicum (C. septicum) is one of the main causes of this infectious disease. In this study, we report the development of a quantitative real-time PCR (qRT PCR) assay targeting the alpha-toxin gene (csa), which involves a prior 15-cyle PCR using a nested pair of primers to increase the detection sensitivity. Additionally, the TaqMan probe was employed to increase the target-specificity of the assay. The performance of our nested qRT-PCR assay was evaluated using Clostridium isolates from turkey farms, representing both septicum and non-septicum species, as well as sponge swab samples from turkey farms. Our step-by-step development of the assay showed that the csa gene is a suitable target for specific detection of C. septicum strains and that the inclusion of nested PCR step significantly increased the detection sensitivity of the final qRT PCR assay. The performance of the assay was also validated by a high correlation of the threshold cycle numbers of the qRT PCR assay with the relative abundance of C. septicum read counts in 16S rRNA gene microbiota profiles of the C. septicum-containing samples from turkey farms.

Ecotoxicity of commonly used oilfield-based emulsifiers on Guinean Tilapia (Tilapia guineensis) using histopathology and behavioral alterations as protocol.

This study examined the histological aberrations in the gill and liver tissues and behavioural changes of Tilapia guineensis fingerlings exposed to lethal concentrations of used Oilfield-based emulsifiers for 96 h. Various concentrations of the surfactants were tested, ranging from 0.0 to 15.0 ml/L. The behaviour of the fish was observed throughout the experiment, and the results showed that increasing concentrations of the surfactants led to progressively abnormal behaviour, including hyperventilation and altered opercular beat frequency. These behavioural changes indicated respiratory distress and neurotoxic effects. Histological analysis revealed structural aberrations in the gill and liver tissues, with higher concentrations causing more severe damage, such as lesions, necrosis, inflammation, and cellular degeneration. This implies that surfactants released even at low concentrations are capable of inducing changes in the tissues of aquatic organisms. These findings highlight the toxic effects of the surfactants on fish health and provide biomarkers of toxicity. Future research should focus on understanding the specific mechanisms and long-term consequences of surfactant toxicity on fish genetic composition, populations, and ecosystems to implement effective conservation measures.

Effect of different energy, protein levels and their interaction on productive performance, egg quality, digestibility coefficient of laying Japanese quails.

For the evaluation of the effects of various quantities of crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy (ME) (kcal/kg diet) in Japanese quail lay chicken meals on performance, digestion coefficients, and nutritional value. An experiment was undertaken in the summer season; 216 eight-wk-old Japanese quail laying hens were allocated at random to 1 of 9 groups in a factorial design (3 × 3) experiment involving 3 levels of CP (18, 20, and 22%) plus 3 levels of ME (2,800, 2,900, or 3,000 kcal/kg ME diet). The testing period lasted from 8 to 20 wk. The findings demonstrated that the relationship between protein and energy levels significantly impacted all productive outcomes except the feed conversion ratio (P < 0.01). Throughout the overall period 8 to 20 wk of age, the greatest measurements of egg weight (11.9 g) and egg mass (8.33 g) occurred in hens fed 20% CP with 2,900 kcal/kg diet, yet the lowest values of egg weight (11.2 g) and egg mass (6.72 g) were noticed in hens fed 22% CP with 2,900 kcal/kg diet. The data showed that the combination of dietary energy and protein levels had a substantial (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01) effect on all egg quality trials evaluated. The results indicated that the interaction between dietary energy and protein concentrations substantially impacted DM and EE digestion ratios (P < 0.01). Finally, when feeding layer Japanese quail between the ages of 8 and 20 wk during the summer, a dietary energy content of 2,900 kcal ME/kg with 20% CP is recommended.

Modulation of Immune Response and Cecal Microbiota by Dietary Fenugreek Seeds in Broilers.

Fenugreek seeds (FSs) are a natural source of bioactive compounds that may modulate the immune system and gut microbiota in broilers. This study examined the effects of dietary fenugreek seed powder on immune-related gene expression and cecal microbiota composition in broilers. A total of 144 broiler chickens were randomly allocated to three dietary groups, CON (0 g/kg FS, FS5 (5 g/kg FS) and FS10 (10 g/kg FS), each with 6 replicates of 8 birds. Ileum tissues and cecal contents were collected on day 42 for the mRNA expression of inflammation and antimicrobial defense-related genes and cecal microbiome diversity, respectively. The results indicated that fenugreek seeds downregulated mRNA-level inflammation and antimicrobial defense-related genes: IL6, IL8L2, CASP6, PTGS2, IRF7, AvBD9, AvBD10, and AvBD11. Moreover, fenugreek seeds altered the cecal microbial community by increasing the population of Firmicutes and decreasing the population of Actinobacteriota, Gemmatimonadota and Verrucomicrobiota at the phylum level and increasing Alistipes, Bacteriodes and Prevotellaceae at the genera level. These findings suggest that fenugreek seeds have a positive impact on the immunological profile and microbiome of broiler chickens, possibly through the interplay of the immune system and the gut microbiome.

Impacts of willow (Salix babylonica L.) leaf extract on growth, cecal microbial population, and blood biochemical parameters of broilers.

The investigation examined the use of willow leaf extract (WLE) on broiler chickens, examining carcass characteristics, cecal microbiota, antioxidants, and blood parameters. In 4 groups of 300 chicks, a basal diet was given for 5 wk, and the first treatment was basal diet (C). The diets for the remaining 3 treatments (WLE150, WLE300, and WLE450) contained 150, 300, and 450 mg of willow leaf extract /kg, respectively. The study found that birds fed willow leaf extract supplements had significantly greater body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and enhanced feed conversion ratio (FCR) vs. the control group. Birds fed at 450 mg/kg food showed the greatest growth features, carcass weight, liver weight, lower abdominal fat, better low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations, and highest hematological characteristics. Chickens fed diets supplemented with varied doses of willow leaf extract showed significantly increased antioxidant enzyme activity, with higher amounts of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and lower malondialdehyde (MDA). However, in the study, birds fed a diet supplemented with 450 mg of willow leaf extract per kg meal showed a significant drop of 13.02%, which found no significant variations in hazardous bacteria (Escherichia coli) across 2 treatments (WLE150 and WLE300). In addition, the study discovered that birds fed with varied doses of willow leaf extract had fewer cecum infections (Staphylococci aureus). We conclude that using willow at a level of 450 mg/kg diet can significantly enhance the BWG, FCR, antioxidant levels and beneficial bacteria activity besides the condition of broiler chicken's general health.

Olive oil and its derivatives for promoting performance, health, and struggling thermal stress effects on broilers.

Olive oil (OL) production is the most significant agro-industrial business and has a high impact on the economy of numerous Mediterranean countries. However, OL extraction results in massive amounts of byproducts, including a solid residue (olive cake or olive pomace) and an aqueous stage (olive mill wastewater), which have serious environmental effects due to their hazardous nature and excessive organic content. Despite these byproducts causing environmental pollution, they can be applied for animal feeding. According to the literature, OL or its derivatives have been used to promote broiler performance, feed utilization, and health status in broilers as growth promoters or protein sources. Furthermore, using OL and its derivatives could improve heat resistance in stressed broilers via struggling thermal stress effects. In this framework, we highlighted the use of OL and its byproducts in broiler feeding to promote performance and health status. Additionally, the role of these byproducts and OL in combating thermal stress is investigated for sustainable strategy and promoting circular economy in broiler industry.

The Potential of Fish Protein Hydrolysate Supplementation in Nile Tilapia Diets: Effects on Growth and Health Performance, Disease Resistance, and Farm Economic Analysis.

Fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) has shown immense potential as a dietary protein supplement and immunostimulant in aquaculture, especially in Nile tilapia production. Four isoproteic diets (30% crude protein) were prepared by including FPH at varying percentages (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%). Nile tilapia fed with FPH diets for 90 days, and their growth performance, feed utilization, blood biochemistry, liver and gut morphology, and resistance against Streptococcus iniae were investigated. The findings revealed that diets physical attributes such as pellet durability index and water stability were remarkably (p < 0.05) varied between experimental diet groups. Furthermore, the test diets were more palatable when FPH was included at 1% and 2%. Fish that were fed with a 2% FPH-treated diet had significantly (p < 0.05) greater growth indices than other treatments. Additionally, their feed utilization was significantly (p < 0.05) improved. The experimental diets and intestinal total bacteria count (TBC) exhibited a rising trend with FPH levels, where the 2% FPH-treated diet recorded the highest TBC. Neutrophil (109/L), lymphocyte (109/L), eosinophil (109/L), and red blood cell(1012/L) counts were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the 2% FPH-treated group, while the white blood cell (109/L), and basophil (109/L) counts were not influenced by the FPH inclusion. Moreover, the FPH-treated groups displayed lower creatinine, bilirubin, and urea levels than the control. The histological examination demonstrated that themid-intestine of 2% FPH-fed Nile tilapia had an unbroken epithelial wall, more villi with frequent distribution of goblet cells, wider tunica muscularis, and stronger stratum compactum bonding than other treatments. Additionally, this group exhibited more nuclei and erythrocytes and less vacuolar cytoplasm in liver than their counterparts. Nile tilapia that were given a diet containing 2% FPH had significantly (p < 0.05) higher resistance (83.33%) to S. iniae during the bacterial challenge test. A significant (p < 0.05) enhancement in farm economic efficiency was observed in the higher inclusion of FPH in diets. In summary, 2% FPH supplementation in Nile tilapia diets improved their growth performance, feed utilization, health status, disease resistance, and farm economic efficiency.

Does dietary supplementation with lettuce seed oil enhance broiler performance, immunity, lipid profile, liver and kidney functions, antioxidant parameters, and intestinal microbiota?

The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of lettuce seed oil (LSO) on the performance, carcass yield, kidney and liver indices, immunity, lipid profile, and cecal microbiota of fattening chicks. A total of 200, 7-day-old Cobb-500 were distributed into 5 experimental groups; each group contained 5 replicates with 8 birds each. The first group 1) the basal diet (only); 2) the basal diet plus lettuce seed oil (0.50 mL/kg); 3) the basal diet plus lettuce seed oil (1.00 mL/kg); 4) the basal diet plus lettuce seed oil (1.50 mL/kg); and 5) the basal diet plus lettuce seed oil (2.00 mL/kg). No significant effect was observed on growth performance, carcass traits, or kidney function at any level of oil. But, liver function was significantly affected due to LSO levels. Serum lipid profiles (total cholesterol-TC, triglyceride-TG, low-density lipoprotein-LDL, and very low-density lipoprotein-VLDL) were significantly reduced by using LSO levels compared to the control group. Dietary LSO significantly increased immunological and antioxidant parameters, except for malondialdehyde-MDA, which was reduced. On the other hand, the cecal microbiota was significantly improved by LSO additives. It was concluded that the dietary supplementation of LSO had beneficial effects on liver and kidney functions, lipid profile, immunity, antioxidant parameters, and the bacteriology of fattening chicks.

Leverage of Salvadora persica and Pulicaria undulata extracts in Escherichia coli-challenged broiler chickens.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a significant challenge in the poultry industry due to their related use of antimicrobial compounds and the drastic losses in production and livability. This study investigated the preventive impacts of dietary supplementation of Salvadora persica (SP) and/or Pulicaria undulata (PU) extracts on growth traits, biochemical and immune parameters, and related gene expression of E. coli-infected broilers. A total of 120 one-day-old Cobb broilers were used. The chicks were allocated into eight equal groups (3 replicates/ group; 5 chicks per each replicate) as follows: G1; control negative, G2; SP-treated, G3; PU-treated, G4; SP/PU-treated, G5; E. coli infected, G6; E. coli infected and SP-treated, G7; E. coli infected and PU-treated, G8; E. coli infected and SP/PU-treated groups. Results revealed significant improvement in average body weight (ABW), average weight gain (AWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in broilers fed diets supplemented with SP and/or PU compared to control and E. coli infected groups. Moreover, significant (P < 0.05) reduction in ALT, AST, creatinine, and uric acid was reported in other treated groups compared to the single E. coli-infected broilers. On the contrary, a significant increase (P < 0.05) in serum immunoglobulin and protein concentration was also reported in treated groups when compared to E. coli-infected untreated group. In addition, feeding broilers with SP and/or PU significantly improved (P < 0.05) the relative weight of immune-related organs and gene expression of TLR-15, with subsequent down-regulation of IL-1ß and TNF-α mRNA transcripts. Supplementing broilers with dietary SP and/or PU could be promising in the prevention of E. coli infection via stimulating significant improvement of immune-related gene expression, immune-related organ weight, and down-regulation of inflammatory-related genes, with subsequent enhancement of the growth performance of broiler chickens.