The effects of dietary 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and hydroalcoholic extract of Withania somnifera root on bone mineralisation, strength and histological characteristics in broiler chickens.

1. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1, 25 (OH)2 D3) and a hydroalcoholic extract of Withania somnifera (WS) root on performance, mineral retention, bone mineralisation, bone mechanical and bone histological characteristics of broiler chicks. 2. A 2 × 3 × 2 factorial experiment consisted of a positive control diet with adequate Ca and a negative control diet (Ca concentration reduced by 30%), three concentrations of WS (0, 75 and 150 mg/kg diet), and two concentrations of 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 (0 and 0.5 µg/kg diet). 3. A total of 600 male one-d-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly distributed into 60 floor pens, with 10 birds each. Each treatment was replicated 5 times (50 birds). Diets were given ad libitum from one to 42 d of age. On d 21 and 42, one bird per replicate was killed and tibiae were removed. 4. Dietary treatments did not affect feed intake and feed conversion. The maximum body weight gain (2475 g) was noted in birds fed on a diet adequate in Ca and supplemented with 75 mg/kg WS. 5. The Ca and P retentions were significantly higher in birds that were given a diet with 30% less Ca. Supplementation of 150 mg/kg WS significantly improved Ca retention in birds receiving a negative control compared to those given a positive control diet (83.0% vs. 66.3%). Ca retention was significantly improved with the addition of 0.5 µg/kg 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 to the diet containing 75 mg/kg WS, regardless of dietary Ca concentration (79.5 vs. 73.3 and 77.9 vs. 68.9). 6. On d 21, birds that received WS had significantly higher tibia Ca compared to those of controls. No significant effects on tibia Ca were noted at 42 d. Birds given a negative control diet supplemented with 75 mg/kg WS and 0.5 µg/kg 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 displayed a similar tibia Ca compared to those given only 150 mg/kg WS. Dietary supplementation of 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 significantly increased tibia Ca and tibial mineralised zone width in birds at 42 d of age. 7. Tibia shear force and stiffness were significantly increased by supplementation of WS. Administration of 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 resulted in a significantly lower width of the proliferative zone at 21 d of age. Reduction of the Ca supply significantly reduced the mineralised zone and cortical thickness at this age. 8. The present study showed that WS supplementation improved Ca retention, bone calcification and mechanical properties with no adverse effects on performance. Also, synergistic effects of WS and 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 were observed on Ca retention and bone calcification.

Effects of high-peak pulsed electromagnetic field on the degeneration and regeneration of the common peroneal nerve in rats.

Apart from preliminary notices of present work, previous reports of experimental and clinical trials of the effects of a high-peak pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) on degeneration and regeneration of peripheral nerves lacked statistical analysis. Therefore, we designed experiments with standardised operative, histological, cytological and morphometric techniques to assess the effect of PEMF on lesions of the common peroneal nerves in paired male rats matched for age, environmental conditions and level and type of lesion. One of two types of lesion was induced in the left common peroneal nerve: in 12 pairs of rats the nerve was crushed just above the knee and in the remaining 12 pairs the nerve was cut and immediately sutured at the same level. The right common peroneal nerve of each rat served as a control. Animals received 15 minutes of PEMF produced by a Diapulse machine or sham treatment daily for periods ranging from three and a half days to eight weeks after injury. Healthy nerves were unaffected, but after damage there were statistically significant differences between PEMF treated and sham treated rats. PEMF accelerated the recovery of injured limbs and the degeneration, regeneration and maturation of myelinated axons; epineural, perineural and intraneural fibrosis was reduced; and the luminal cross-sectional area of intraneural vessels increased after both types of lesion. Findings are discussed and the need for clinical trials is stressed.