Evaluation of acute toxicity of Scabiosa artropurperea var.maritima aqueous extracts in Swiss mice.

Scabiosa artropurperea var.maritima is a plant widely distributed in the Mediterranean region and used as a traditional medicine. The present study evaluated the biochemical composition and the potential toxicity of aqueous extract of whole Scabiosa artropurperea var.maritima through acute toxicity oral administration in male mice. Phytochemical analysis of the Scabiosa artropurperea var.maritima revealed high levels of reductor sugars and significant flavonoid and total phenol content. The aqueous extract of Scabiosa artropurperea var.maritima was daily oral administered to mice at doses of 300 (group 1), 2000 (group 2) and 4000 (group 3) mg/kg body weight per day for 14 days. We observed no significant difference in the consumption of food, body weight and relative organ weights except for an increase in the seminal vesicles weight in group 3. Hematological parameters revealed the non-adverse effects of prolonged oral consumption of Scabiosa artropurperea var.maritima except for a slight increase but significant of percentage of hematocrit in group 1 and 3 and a decrease in percentage of granulocytes in group 2. The histopathologic examination did not show any differences in vital organs. We also observed non-adverse effects on the reproductive parameters including testosterone concentration, spermatozoa motility and morphologies. Based on our findings, the aqueous extract of Scabiosa artropurperea var.maritima could be considered safe for oral medication in animals.

Carcass Traits and Meat Quality of Fat-Tailed Lambs Fed Rosemary Residues as a Part of Concentrate.

Facing climate change implications on feeds unavailability, unconventional resources are being considered with a growing interest such as aromatic plant distillation residues with a two-fold object, enhancing meat quality by increasing the antioxidant properties and reducing feed prices which are often imported though expensive. Hence, this study aims to assess the effects of rosemary distillation residues (RR) incorporation in concentrate associated to two nitrogen sources as a substitute for standard concentrate on lamb's growth, carcass traits and meat quality. For this, 24 Barbarine male lambs (3 months old, 17.83 ± 2.6 kg body weight) were divided into three groups. All lambs received individually 600 g of oat hay as roughage and 600 g of standard concentrate for control group, 600 g of concentrate based on RR and soybean meal for RRS group and 600 g of concentrate based on RR and faba bean for RRF group. After 65 days of experiment, all lambs were slaughtered. Phenolic and tocopherol intakes were significantly higher for both RR groups compared to control (p < 0.05). Growth, carcass weights, dressing percentages and non-carcass component weights were unaffected by the diet (p > 0.05). Moreover, regional and tissular compositions and meat physical properties were similar irrespective of the diet (p > 0.05). All color parameters were similar among groups (p > 0.05). However, meat produced by lambs receiving RR-based concentrate was richer on vitamin E and polyphenol contents than control lambs (p < 0.05). Rosemary by-products may substitute the standard concentrate resulting in similar lamb's growth and carcass traits, while improving meat quality by increasing vitamin E content, which could improve its antioxidant power.