Anti-inflammatory effects of Allium cepa L. peel extracts via inhibition of JAK-STAT pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Allium cepa L. (A. cepa) is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. A. cepa has been used in traditional folk medicine to treat inflammatory disease in several regions, such as Palestine and Serbia. A. cepa peel has a higher content of flavonoids, such as quercetin, than the edible parts. These flavonoids alleviate inflammatory diseases. However, the anti-inflammatory effects of A. cepa peel extract-obtained using various extraction methods-and their underlying mechanisms require further investigation. AIM OF THE STUDY: Although research to find safe anti-inflammatory substances in various natural products has been actively conducted for many years, it is important to continue identifying potential anti-inflammatory effects in natural materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ethnopharmacological properties of the A. cepa peel extract, whose efficacy when obtained through different extraction methods and underlying action mechanisms is not well known. The present study specifically aimed to observe the anti-inflammatory effects of the A. cepa peel extracts obtained using various extraction methods and the related detailed mechanisms of A. cepa peel extracts in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The total flavonoid content of the A. cepa peel extracts was determined the diethylene glycol colorimetric method and measured using a calibration curve prepared using quercetin as a standard solution. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the ABTS assay, and cytotoxicity was measured using the MTT assay. NO production was measured using Griess reagent. Protein levels were measured by western blotting, and mRNA expression was measured by RT-qPCR. Secreted cytokines were analyzed using ELISA or cytokine arrays. In the GSE160086 dataset, we calculated Z-scores for individual genes of interest and displayed using a heat map. RESULTS: Of the three A. cepa peel extracts obtained using different extraction methods, the A. cepa peel 50% EtOH extract (AP50E) was the most effective at inhibiting LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Furthermore, AP50E significantly reduced the levels of pro-inflammation cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-27. Additionally, AP50E directly inhibited the Janus kinase-signaling transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that AP50E exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-induced RAW264.7 mouse macrophages by directly inhibiting JAK-STAT signaling. Based on these findings, we propose AP50E as a potential candidate for the development of preventive or therapeutic agents against inflammatory diseases.

Oenanthe javanica Ethanolic Extract Alleviates Inflammation and Modifies Gut Microbiota in Mice with DSS-Induced Colitis.

Oenanthe javanica, commonly known as water dropwort, has long been used to treat acute and chronic hepatitis, abdominal pain, alcohol hangovers, and inflammation in various traditional medicine systems in Asia. However, whether O. javanica has beneficial effects on colitis-induced intestinal damage remains elusive. This study tested the hypothesis that O. javanica has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. First, treatment of O. javanica ethanol extract (OJE) inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-affected macrophages. Second, in mice with DSS-induced colitis, OJE administration reduced pathological damage to the colon while alleviating weight gain and decreasing colon length, including inflammation and mucosal necrosis. In addition, OJE significantly (p < 0.01) restricted the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators and increased the expression of Nrf2-phase 2 antioxidant enzymes. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing workflows for taxonomic assignment analysis confirmed that the diversity (richness and evenness) of fecal microbiota was markedly elevated in the OJE group. OJE administration reduced the abundance of Proteobacteria including Escherichia and increased the abundance of the genus Muribaculum. These results suggested that OJE exerts beneficial effects on inflammation and gut microbial composition in a mouse model of colitis.

An 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of red Platycodon grandiflorus root extract on enhancement of immune function.

BACKGROUND: The immune-enhancing effects of red Platycodon grandiflorus root extract (RPGE) has been reported in vitro and in vivo, but there are few studies on humans. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of RPGE in enhancing immune function in healthy subjects. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: An 8-week randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted at the Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, South Korea. A total of 100 adults aged 20-75 years with white blood cell counts of 3000-10,000 cell/µL were randomly divided into two groups (RPGE group, 50 and placebo group, 50) using a computer-generated random list with a 1:1 allocation ratio. The subjects consumed RPGE (2 times/day, 2 tablets/time, 375 mg RPGE powder/tablet) or placebo for 8 weeks. All test foods for the human study were coded and administered under double-blind conditions. The primary outcome was a change in the NK cell activity after 8 weeks of treatment compared to the baseline. RESULTS: Among 100 subjects enrolled for the study, 87 completed the study. NK cell activity (p = 0.005) and IFN-γ level (p = 0.003) of the RPGE group (n = 41) were higher than those of the placebo group (n = 46). The findings of the safety assessment revealed absence of clinically significant changes in any test and serious adverse events throughout the study. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, these results demonstrate the efficacy and safety of RPGE, suggesting it to be a beneficial agent for enhancing immune function in humans. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CRIS Registration Number KCT0005945, https://cris.nih.go.kr.

Efficacy of black rice extract on obesity in obese postmenopausal women: a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled preliminary clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Postmenopausal obesity is a paramount health concern among older women. Black rice is a well-known pigmented rice variety with a higher anthocyanin content. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the effects of black rice on obesity. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of black rice extract (BRE) on obesity among obese postmenopausal women from Korea. METHODS: This was a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled preliminary clinical trial. The participants were postmenopausal women who had stopped menstruating for more than a year. Specifically, 105 participants were randomly assigned to the BRE (1 g/d) or placebo (maltodextrin, 1 g/d) group. RESULTS: Eighty-eight participants completed the study, 47 in the intervention group and 41 in the placebo group. At the study endpoint, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry assessment showed that the BRE group had a significantly lower trunk fat (P = 0.04), total fat (P = 0.04), and total body fat percentage (P = 0.04) than did the placebo group. The body fat percentage (P = 0.04) was lower in the BRE group with marginal significance, and there were no significant differences in anthropometric measures such as weight, body mass index, waist circumference, or waist-to-hip ratio estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis. CONCLUSION: BRE supplementation for 12 weeks seems to be effective in reducing fat accumulation in postmenopausal women.

Allium hookeri Extracts Improve Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive Impairment via Activation of the Cholinergic System and Anti-Neuroinflammation in Mice.

Allium hookeri (AH) is a medicinal food that has been used in Southeast Asia for various physiological activities. The objective of this study was to investigate the activation of the cholinergic system and the anti-neuroinflammation effects of AH on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice. Scopolamine (1 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) impaired the performance of the mice on the Y-maze test, passive avoidance test, and water maze test. However, the number of error actions was reduced in the AH groups supplemented with leaf and root extracts from AH. AH treatment improved working memory and avoidance times against electronic shock, increased step-through latency, and reduced the time to reach the escape zone in the water maze test. AH significantly improved the cholinergic system by decreasing acetylcholinesterase activity, and increasing acetylcholine concentration. The serum inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, and IFN-γ) increased by scopolamine treatment were regulated by the administration of AH extracts. Overexpression of NF-κB signaling and cytokines in liver tissue due to scopolamine were controlled by administration of AH extracts. AH also significantly decreased Aß and caspase-3 expression but increased NeuN and ChAT. The results suggest that AH extracts improve cognitive effects, and the root extracts are more effective in relieving the scopolamine-induced memory impairment. They have neuroprotective effects and reduce the development of neuroinflammation.

Effects of Capsicum annuum supplementation on the components of metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has increasingly gained importance as the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes mellitus. Various natural compounds derived from plants are associated with beneficial effects on the incidence and progression of MetS. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Capsicum annuum on factors related to MetS by assessing randomized controlled trials (written in English). We searched the online databases of PubMed, Embase, Google scholar, and Cochrane Library up to April 2020. 'Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcomes' format was used to determine whether intervention with C. annuum supplementation compared with placebo supplementation had any effect on the components of MetS among participants. We considered standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) as effect size measures using random-effects model. Analysis of the included 11 studies (n = 609) showed that C. annuum supplementation had significant effect on low density lipoprotein-cholesterol [SMD = - 0.39; 95% CI - 0.72, - 0.07; P = 0.02; prediction interval, - 1.28 to 0.50] and marginally significant effect on body weight [SMD = - 0.19; 95% CI - 0.40, 0.03; P = 0.09]. However, larger and well-designed clinical trials are needed to investigate the effects of C. annuum on MetS.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial to evaluate the anti-diabetic effects of Allium hookeri extract in the subjects with prediabetes.

BACKGROUND: Allium hookeri is widely consumed as a vegetable and herbal medicine in Asia. A. hookeri has been reported anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, osteoblastic, anti-oxidant, and anti-diabetic effects in animal studies. We investigated the anti-diabetic effects of A. hookeri aqueous extract (AHE) in the Korean subjects. METHODS: Prediabetic subjects (100 ≤ fasting plasma glucose (FPG) < 126 mg/dL) who met the inclusion criteria were recruited for this study. The enrolled subjects (n = 30) were randomly divided into either an AHE (n = 15, 486 mg/day) or placebo (n = 15) group. Outcomes were measurements of FPG, glycemic response to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin, C-peptide, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol. The t-test was used to assess differences between the groups. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Eight weeks after AHE supplementation, HbA1c level was significantly decreased in the AHE group compared with the placebo group. No clinically significant changes in any safety parameter were observed. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that AHE can be effective in reducing HbA1c, indicating it as an adjunctive tool for improving glycemic control. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol was retrospectively registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT03330366 , October 30, 2017).

Allium hookeri Root Extract Inhibits Adipogenesis by Promoting Lipolysis in High Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Allium hookeri (AH) is widely consumed as a herbal medicine. It possesses biological activity against metabolic diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of AH root water extract (AHR) on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells and in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. AHR inhibited lipid accumulation during adipocyte differentiation by downregulation of gene expression, such as hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and an adipogenic gene, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Oral administration of AHR significantly suppressed body weight gain, adipose tissue weight, serum leptin levels, and adipocyte cell size in HFD-induced obese mice. Moreover, AHR significantly decreased hepatic mRNA expression levels of cholesterol synthesis genes, such as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase, sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor (SREBP)-2, and low-density lipoprotein receptor, as well as fatty acid synthesis genes, such as SREBP-1c and fatty acid synthase. Serum triglyceride levels were also lowered by AHR, likely as a result of the upregulating gene involved in fatty acid ß-oxidation, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a, in the liver. AHR treatment activated gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, which might have promoted HSL and LPL-medicated lipolysis, thereby reducing white adipose tissue weight. In conclusion, AHR treatment can improve metabolic alterations induced by HFD in mice by modifying expression levels of genes involved in adipogenesis, lipogenesis, and lipolysis in the white adipose tissue and liver.

Effects of dietary Allium hookeri root on growth performance and antioxidant activity in young broiler chickens.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the antioxidant potential of Allium hookeri (AH) root in two forms, powdered AH root and fermented powdered AH root, to demonstrate its value as an antibiotic alternative feed additive for broiler chickens. A total of 125 male Ross-708 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 25 birds/group) and fed standard diets supplemented with root or fermented root of AH at two different levels (1% or 5%). Control birds were provided with non-supplemented basal diets. Body weights was measured at days 14 and 21 of age. To monitor antioxidant activities, heme oxygenase (HMOX), aflatoxin B1 aldehyde reductase (AFAR), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), and catalase (CAT) enzyme levels were quantified by real-time PCR in the jejunums 21-day-old birds. Also, serum levels of SOD, CAT, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using commercial kits. The results showed greater body weight gains at day 14 in chickens fed diets supplemented with 1% AH root, as compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Up-regulated transcript levels of AFAR, HMOX1, and CAT were observed in the jejunum of chickens fed diets supplemented with AH. The serum levels SOD and CAT were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in groups treated with AH, whereas MDA levels were decreased in groups fed diets supplemented with AH, as compared to the control group. These results indicated that an optimum level of dietary AH supplementation to young broiler chickens influences growth and improves antioxidant activities.

Dietary Allium hookeri reduces inflammatory response and increases expression of intestinal tight junction proteins in LPS-induced young broiler chicken.

We undertook a study to assess the effects of Allium hookeri (AH) root and fermented root on inflammation and intestinal integrity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged broiler chickens. Birds were assigned to six groups (n = 25 birds/treatment) and fed with basal diets (CON) or basal diets supplemented with AH root or fermented root at two concentrations (1 or 5%). At 7 d of age, five groups (n= 125) in each dietary treatment were injected with LPS (1 mg/kg body weight), and the remaining 25 birds were injected with sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as a negative control. LPS challenge significantly reduced average body weight gain at 24 h post-injection compared with PBS control. Fermented root supplementation increased average body weight gain by 1% compared with the LPS-challenged control. Serum α- 1-AGP levels, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 15 (TNFSF15), and LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-α factor (LITAF) transcript levels were significantly higher in the small intestine in LPS-injected chickens. However α-1-AGP levels were reduced by AH root or fermented root (1 and 5%) supplementation and IL-1ß, IL-8, and LITAF were also down-regulated by root and fermented root (1 and 5%) supplementation. The reduced expression of tight junction proteins (junctional adhesion molecule 2 (JAM2) and occludin) and intestinal mucin 2 (MUC2) by LPS challenge was reversed by root or fermented root (1 and 5%) supplementation. These findings demonstrate that dietary AH root and fermented root influence antiinflammatory activity and tight junction protein expression in LPS-induced chickens.

Protocatechuic Acid Enhances Osteogenesis, but Inhibits Adipogenesis in C3H10T1/2 and 3T3-L1 Cells.

Abnormal activation of adipogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and preadipocyte cells is associated with human metabolic disorders, such as osteoporosis and obesity. This study investigated the biological effects of protocatechuic acid (PCA) on the modulation of osteogenesis and adipogenesis in cultured cells. PCA stimulation of MSCs significantly increased intracellular mineralization during osteogenesis, but reduced lipid accumulation in both MSCs and 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells during adipogenesis. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting analyses showed a dose-dependent upregulation of proosteogenic runt-related transcription factor 2 due to induction of ß-catenin. PCA reduced the expression of proadipogenic transcription factor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, and suppressed its promotor activity. These results suggest PCA exerts stimulatory effects on the osteogenesis of MSCs and inhibitory effects on the adipogenesis of MSCs and 3T3-L1 cells. PCA may contribute to maintain a coordinated metabolic balance between adipogenesis and osteogenesis, and thus may be useful for the prevention and alleviation of osteoporosis and obesity.

Allium hookeri root extract exerts anti-inflammatory effects by nuclear factor-κB down-regulation in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells.

BACKGROUND: Allium hookeri (AH) is widely consumed as a vegetable and herbal medicine in southeastern Asia. AH has been reported antioxidant, antimicrobial, improvement of bone health and antidiabetic effects. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of a methanol extract of AH root (AHE) on inflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells. METHODS: Initially, characterization of organic sulfur compounds in AHE was determined using high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS). Cells were incubated with LPS and AHE for 24 h. The productions of nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and inflammation-related cytokines were examined. Gene and protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were assessed by polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Key factor, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was also determined. RESULTS: AHE contained organosulfur compounds such as alliin and S-allylcysteine by HPLC-ESI-MS. AHE significantly inhibited NO, ROS, and cytokines production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. In addition, AHE treatment inhibited iNOS and COX-2 mRNA and protein levels, leading to a decrease in iNOS-derived NO level. Furthermore, NF-κB activation was, at least in part, suppressed by AHE treatment. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that AHE treatment inhibits the inflammation condition through suppression of iNOS and COX-2 expression via NF-κB down-regulation.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Salvia plebeia R. Br extract in vitro and in ovalbumin-induced mouse model.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is an increasing global health problem, and novel strategies to prevent or ameliorate the condition are needed. Here, the effects of 80 % ethanol extracts of Salvia plebeia R. Br. (SE) on an induced inflammatory response were investigated. RESULTS: Salvia plebeia R. Br. inhibited production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-6, as well as nitric oxide (NO) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. NO and pro-inflammatory cytokine production was suppressed more effectively by SE of the aerial parts (SE-A) than of the roots (SE-R) of S. plebeia. In BEAS-2B cells, both SE-A and SE-R inhibited the increase in production of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8. We also investigated the anti-asthmatic effects of SE in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced BALB/c mouse model. SE-A treatment significantly reduced the number of airway eosinophils, IL-4 and IL-13 levels, mucus production, and inflammatory infiltration, as compared with the corresponding levels in the untreated, OVA-induced mice, and had similar effects to dexamethasone. CONCLUSIONS: Salvia plebeia ethanol extract ameliorated the induced inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 and BEAS-2B cells, with more effective inhibition noted for SE-A than for SE-R. SE-A treatment was effective in improving the histopathological changes in the lungs of asthma model mice via modulation of eosinophils and Th2 cytokines. These results suggest that SE-A can be considered as a therapeutic agent that can potentially relieve asthma.

Dietary Capsicum and Curcuma longa oleoresins increase intestinal microbiome and necrotic enteritis in three commercial broiler breeds.

Three commercial broiler breeds were fed from hatch with a diet supplemented with Capsicum and Curcuma longa oleoresins, and co-infected with Eimeria maxima and Clostridium perfringens to induce necrotic enteritis (NE). Pyrotag deep sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA showed that gut microbiota compositions were quite distinct depending on the broiler breed type. In the absence of oleoresin diet, the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs), was decreased in infected Cobb, and increased in Ross and Hubbard, compared with the uninfected. In the absence of oleoresin diet, all chicken breeds had a decreased Candidatus Arthromitus, while the proportion of Lactobacillus was increased in Cobb, but decreased in Hubbard and Ross. Oleoresin supplementation of infected chickens increased OTUs in Cobb and Ross, but decreased OTUs in Hubbard, compared with unsupplemented/infected controls. Oleoresin supplementation of infected Cobb and Hubbard was associated with an increased percentage of gut Lactobacillus and decreased Selenihalanaerobacter, while Ross had a decreased fraction of Lactobacillus and increased Selenihalanaerobacter, Clostridium, Calothrix, and Geitlerinema. These results suggest that dietary Capsicum/Curcuma oleoresins reduced the negative consequences of NE on body weight and intestinal lesion, in part, through alteration of the gut microbiome in 3 commercial broiler breeds.

Effects of dietary selenium on host response to necrotic enteritis in young broilers.

The effects of dietary supplementation of young broiler chickens with an organic selenium (Se) formulation, B-Traxim Se, on experimental necrotic enteritis (NE) were studied. Chickens treated with three Se doses (0.25, 0.50, 1.00 mg/kg) from hatch were orally challenged with Eimeria maxima at 14 days of age followed by Clostridium perfringens to induce NE. Chickens fed with 0.50 mg/kg Se showed significantly increased body weights and antibody levels against NetB, and significantly reduced gut lesions compared with non-supplemented chickens. However, there were no significant differences in Eimeria oocyst shedding between the Se-treated and non-supplemented groups. Levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, iNOS, LITAF, TNFSF15, AvBD6, AvBD8, and AvBD13 transcripts were increased in the gut and spleen of at least one of the three Se-treated groups compared with the non-treated group. These results suggest that dietary supplementation of young broilers with Se might be beneficial to reduce the negative consequence of NE.

Immune and anti-oxidant effects of in ovo selenium proteinate on post-hatch experimental avian necrotic enteritis.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of in ovo administration of selenium (Se) incorporated into hydrolyzed soybean protein (B-Taxim [BT]) on protection against experimental avian necrotic enteritis (NE). Broiler eggs were injected with either 100 µl of PBS alone (BT0), or 20 or 40 µg/egg of BT in PBS (BT20, BT40) at 18 days of embryogenesis. On day 14 post-hatch, the chickens were uninfected or orally infected with 1.0 × 10(4) oocysts of Eimeria maxima (E. maxima). On day 18 post-hatch, E. maxima-infected chickens were orally infected with 1.0 × 10(9) CFU of Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens). Compared with untreated and infected BT0 controls, BT20 and/or BT40 birds showed increased body weights, decreased fecal shedding of E. maxima oocysts, lower serum α-toxin and NetB levels, increased levels of serum antibodies against C. perfringens α-toxin and NetB toxin, decreased levels of serum malondialdehyde, reduced serum catalase and superoxide dismutase catalytic activities, and increased intestinal levels of gene transcripts encoding interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and peroxiredoxin-6, but decreased levels of transcripts for catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Interestingly, transcript levels for inducible nitric oxide synthase and paraoxonase/arylesterase 2 were decreased in the BT20 group and increased in the BT40 group, compared with BT0 controls. These results indicate that in ovo administration of broiler chickens with a Se-containing protein hydrolysate enhanced protection against experimental NE possibly by altering the expression of proinflammatory and anti-oxidant genes and their downstream pathways.

Effects of salinomycin and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance and immune responses in broiler chickens.

The present study was undertaken to compare the effect of salinomycin and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, serum antibody levels against Clostridium spp. and Eimeria spp., and cytokine mRNA expression levels in broiler chickens raised in the used litter. Broiler chickens fed a diet containing salinomycin showed lower (P < 0.05) body weights compared with the control diet-fed counterparts. Serum nitric oxide levels were significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in chickens fed the B. subtilis-enriched diet compared with those on either the salinomycin-fed or control diet-fed chickens. None of the dietary treatments affected (P > 0.05) serum antibody levels against Clostridium perfringens toxins. Both salinomycin and B.subtilis significantly lowered (P < 0.05) the serum levels of Eimeria-specific antibodies compared with the control group. Salinomycin, but not B. subtilis, significantly modulated (P < 0.05) the expression of cytokines encoding interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor superfamily 15 (TNFSF15) compared with the control group. In conclusion, dietary salinomycin and B. subtilis affected serum anticoccidial antibody and intestinal cytokine expression, but failed to improve growth performance in broiler chickens. Further study is warranted to investigate the mode of action of salinomycin on host immune response and growth performance in broiler chickens.

Immune effects of dietary anethole on Eimeria acervulina infection.

The effects of anethole on in vitro and in vivo parameters of chicken immunity during experimental avian coccidiosis were evaluated. Anethole reduced the viability of invasive Eimeria acervulina sporozoites after 2 or 4 h of treatment in vitro by 45 and 42%, respectively, and stimulated 6.0-fold greater chicken spleen cell proliferation compared with controls. Broiler chickens continuously fed from hatch with an anethole-supplemented diet and orally challenged with live E. acervulina oocysts showed enhanced BW gain, decreased fecal oocyst excretion, and greater E. acervulina profilin antibody responses compared with infected chickens given an unsupplemented standard diet. The levels of transcripts encoding the immune mediators IL6, IL8, IL10, and tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 15 (TNFSF15) in intestinal lymphocytes were increased in E. acervulina-infected chickens fed the anethole-containing diet compared with untreated controls. Global gene expression analysis by microarray hybridization identified 1,810 transcripts (677 upregulated, 1,133 downregulated) whose levels were significantly altered in intestinal lymphocytes of anethole-fed birds compared with unsupplemented controls. From this transcriptome, 576 corresponding genes were identified. The most significant biological function associated with these genes was "Inflammatory Response" in the "Disease and Disorders" category. This new information documents the immunologic and genomic changes that occur in chickens following anethole dietary supplementation that may be relevant to host protective immune response to avian coccidiosis.

Dietary Curcuma longa enhances resistance against Eimeria maxima and Eimeria tenella infections in chickens.

The effects of dietary supplementation with an organic extract of Curcuma longa on systemic and local immune responses to experimental Eimeria maxima and Eimeria tenella infections were evaluated in commercial broiler chickens. Dietary supplementation with C. longa enhanced coccidiosis resistance as demonstrated by increased BW gains, reduced fecal oocyst shedding, and decreased gut lesions compared with infected birds fed a nonsupplemented control diet. The chickens fed C. longa-supplemented diet showed enhanced systemic humoral immunity, as assessed by greater levels of serum antibodies to an Eimeria microneme protein, MIC2, and enhanced cellular immunity, as measured by concanavalin A-induced spleen cell proliferation, compared with controls. At the intestinal level, genome-wide gene expression profiling by microarray hybridization identified 601 differentially expressed transcripts (287 upregulated, 314 downregulated) in gut lymphocytes of C. longa-fed chickens compared with nonsupplemented controls. Based on the known functions of the corresponding mammalian genes, the C. longa-induced intestinal transcriptome was mostly associated with genes mediating anti-inflammatory effects. Taken together, these results suggest that dietary C. longa could be used to attenuate Eimeria-induced, inflammation-mediated gut damage in commercial poultry production.