Pathological effects of feeding aflatoxin-contaminated feed on immune status and reproductive performance of juvenile white leghorn males and its mitigation with ∝-tocopherol and Moringa oleifera.

This study was planned to detect the adverse pathological consequences of aflatoxin B1 in White Leghorn (WLH) layer breeder males. Eight-week-old male layer cockerels were separated into six experimental categories: A group was kept as negative control, offered with normal feed only; group B was fed with 400 ppb amount of aflatoxin, while groups F and D fed with normal feed and supplemented with vitamin E 100 ppm and 1% Moringa oleifera, respectively, whereas groups E and C were fed with 400 ppb aflatoxin containing feed and ameliorated with vitamin E 100 ppm and 1% Moringa oleifera, respectively. This study was continued for 2 months and immunologic disorders and reproductive parameters were observed during the trial. To find out immunological status lymphoproliferative response to phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P), antibody titers against sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) and carbon clear assay were performed by collecting samples from five birds from each group. The whole data was measured by ANOVA test, and group means were compared by DMR test by using M-Stat C software. Regarding the reproductive status, spermatogenesis, blood testosterone level, testes weight, testes histology, sperm motility, and morphology were negatively affected by aflatoxins, but these deviations positively ameliorated by vitamin E and Moringa. Vitamin E and Moringa found advantageous in boosting the immune status of affected bird. All the immunological parameters including antibody titers against sheed red blood cells, lymphoproliferative response to avian tuberculin and phagocytic potential of macrophages were suppressed by AFB1 however in control, Moringa and vitamin E groups these immunological responses were significantly higher.

Medicinal Plants as an Alternative to Control Poultry Parasitic Diseases.

Parasitic infections are a major public health concern affecting millions of people universally. This review elaborates on the potential impacts of plants and their bioactive components that have been widely used in the cure of several parasitic infections of poultry. The medicinal importance of natural herbs depends upon their bioactive ingredients, which are originated from crude plants, consequently leading to the specific action on the body. Due to the limited availability of effective drugs and high cost, the development of drug resistance in several harmful parasites and microbes leads to huge economic losses in the poultry industry. This will impose the development of innovative sources for drugs to overwhelm the therapeutic failure. Moreover, the environment-friendly feed additives which can be applied as a substitute to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) for broilers were proven. The application of natural products with therapeutic characteristics is an ancient practice that is appropriately gaining more acceptance. Globally, it is assessed that some 20,000 species of higher plants are used medicinally, although traditional medicine has a scarcity of knowledge on its efficiency and wellbeing. This review explores the usage of medicinal herbs for parasitic infections, emphasizing the recent knowledge available while detecting the research gaps which may be explored to find the usage of herbal medicines for parasitic infections in poultry. In conclusion, herbal medicines are the effective source of prime components for drug detection and the formation of phytopharmaceuticals in the control of devastating parasitic infections. There is a prerequisite to applying the traditional medicine information in clinical applications via value addition.

Aflatoxins associated oxidative stress and immunological alterations are mitigated by dietary supplementation of Pichia kudriavzevii in broiler chicks.

Mycotoxins are the secondary metabolites of certain toxigenic fungi which pose severe health stress in humans, animals and poultry. Certain biological agents and components are used to adsorb mycotoxins in poultry industry which provide promising results in this regard. Pichia kudriazevii (PK), a novel yeast, has the ability to enhance the immune status of poultry chicks. The present study was designed to investigate the ameliorative potential of PK against aflatoxins associated immunosuppression and oxidative stress in broiler chicks. 180-one day old broiler chicks were equally divided into six groups and given different combinations of aflatoxins (300 and 600 µg/kg) and PK (1 g/kg). Parameters studied were antibody response to sheep red blood cells, lymphoproliferative response to PHA-P; phagocytic response by carbon clearance assay system, total antioxidant capacity and total oxidant status of chicks. Results of this experiment confirmed the immunomodulation and antioxidant capacity of PK against 300 µg/kg aflatoxin level. However such amelioration was partial when PK was used with 600 µg/kg aflatoxins. Moreover, the exact ratio of aflatoxin: PK to cause such amelioration still needs to be investigated.

Dietary L-carnitine and vitamin-E; a strategy to combat ochratoxin-A induced immunosuppression.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary ochratoxin A (OA), in the presence and absence of L-carnitine (LC) and vitamin E (VE), on the humoral immune responses of White Leghorn cockerels (WLC). One-day old white male Leghorn chicks were divided into 12 groups, having 20 birds each and were offered ration contaminated with OA (1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg feed) alone and concurrently with LC (1.0 g/kg) and/or VE (0.2 g/kg), for 42 days. The humoral immune responses were accessed by lymphoproliferative response to avian tuberculin, in-vivo phagosomes activity to carbon particles and antibody response to the sheep red blood cells (SRBCs). The dietary addition of OA alone suppressed the humoral immune responses, however, the exposure of birds to 1.0 mg/kg OA in the presence of LC and/or VE showed a significant reduction in OA induced immunotoxicity. This protective response was absent in the birds fed 2.0 mg/kg OA in the presence and absence of LC and/or VE. Histopathological and morphometric examination of the bursa of Fabricius exhibited a decrease in the severity and frequency of OA induced lesions in the presence of dietary LC and/or VE. The use of LC and VE as dietary supplement, can effectively overcome OA (≤1.0 mg/kg) induced immunosuppression.

Silver nanoparticles from leaf extract of Mentha piperita: Eco-friendly synthesis and effect on acetylcholinesterase activity.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been used in various medicinal and commercial products because of their exceptional anti-microbial and anti-odor properties. On the other hand, increased commercialization of AgNPs containing products has led to its release into the environment. Thus, studies are needed to assess their impact on the environment as well as on human body. Several reports have shown that AgNPs could cause some serious neurotoxic effects. Most of these studies have been performed using chemically synthesized AgNPs. In contrast, green nanoparticles are usually considered safer than their chemically synthesized counterparts. Accordingly, in this research work, we have assessed the effect of AgNPs synthesized from aqueous-leaf-extract of Mentha piperita on one of the most important neurological enzymes i.e. acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to predict its neurotoxicity. M. piperita synthesized AgNPs were subjected to characterization by UV-visible-spectrometry, Scanning Electron-Microscopy as well as Transmission Electron-Microscopy. Here, the size of the AgNPs was found to be 35 nm with spherical shape. These AgNPs showed concentration-dependent inhibitory-effect on the AChE enzyme-activity displaying an IC50 of 150 nM. Further, kinetic analysis showed mixed type of inhibition, which means that AgNPs were capable of binding to both the free enzyme (AChE) and to the enzyme-substrate (AChE-acetylcholine) complex. These results suggest that even green synthesized AgNPs might cause neurotoxicity via inhibiting AChE activity. However, more studies are needed to elucidate the exact mechanism of neurotoxicity by AgNPs. Nevertheless, we could safely state that the present study provides relevant preliminary information regarding neurotoxicity of green synthesized AgNPs.