Effects of green tea phytosome on growth performance and intestinal integrity under coccidiosis infection challenge in broilers.

This research examined the effects of feeding phytosomal green tea on broilers infected with coccidia. To provide phytosome, green tea extract was loaded into soy lecithin. Groups of chicks included uninfected and untreated control (NC), infected and untreated control (PC), infected and treated with salinomycin control (SC), infected and treated with 300 and 400 mL of green tea extract (GTE300, GTE400), infected and treated with 200, 300, 400 and 500 mL of green tea phytosome (GTP200, GTP300, GTP400, and GTP500). At 14-days posthatch, chickens were orally gavaged, except the NC group with a coccidia vaccine 30 times larger than the approved dose. Body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined at 7, 14, 20, 28, 35, and 42 d. The characteristics of the carcass, internal organs and intestinal morphology were assessed on d 42. Applying overdose of coccidiosis vaccine showed experimental Eimeria infection, led to decrease in FI and BW, and increased FCR compared to PC group (P < 0.001). Meanwhile salinomycin, green tea extract, and green tea phytosome compensated the negative effects of Eimeria infection on growth performance. The treatments did not affect carcass, breast, and thigh relative weights. Interestingly, abdominal fat percent was significantly lower in chickens fed GTP300, GTP400, and GTP500 than in those fed GTE300, GTE300, and GTP200 (P < 0.0001). In comparison to the basal diet plus green tea extract forms and NC groups, the PC group increased the relative weights of the liver, spleen, bursa, and pancreas (P < 0.05). The highest values of villus height and villus height to crypt ratio were obtained in duodenum, jejunum and ileum in GTP300 group (P < 0.0001), while, villi diameter in duodenum and ileum decreased the most in GTP300 and GTP500, respectively (P < 0.0001). Consequently, as natural anticoccidial drug delivery systems, 300 mL of green tea phytosome can be introduced as the optimal dose to maximize the benefits of phytosome for intestinal integrity and reduce the consumption of green tea extract.

Microwave-assisted extraction of arabinan-rich pectic polysaccharides from melon peels: Optimization, purification, bioactivity, and techno-functionality.

The effects of water to solids ratio (WSR, 10-30 mL/g), power (180-540 W), and irradiation time (IT, 5-15 min) in microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were optimized to extract polysaccharides from melon peels (PMP). The maximum extraction yield (32.81 %) was obtained under 20.94 mL/g WSR, 414.4 W power, and 12.75 min IT. The main monosaccharide composition of purified PMP with an average molecular weight of 5.71 × 104 kDa were d-galacturonic acid, arabinose, glucose, and galactose. An ascending dose-dependent antiradical and antioxidant behavior for PMP (0-5.0 mg/mL) was found. The initial foaming capacity (38.6-110.3 %) and foaming stability (5.2-65.2 %) were significantly increased as a function of PMP concentration (1.0-5.0 %), while they reduced by increasing the mixing time (p < 0.05). The highest emulsifying activity index (44.1 m2/g) and emulsifying stability (69.3 %) at 5.0 % PMPs were determined. PMP gels with FTIR-identified functional groups can be formulated in new gluten-free functional products.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.): a potential unique therapeutic food rich in organosulfur and flavonoid compounds to fight with COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the current major health crisis in the world. A successful strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic is the improvement of nutritional pattern. Garlic is one of the most efficient natural antibiotics against the wide spectrum of viruses and bacteria. Organosulfur (e.g., allicin and alliin) and flavonoid (e.g., quercetin) compounds are responsible for immunomodulatory effects of this healthy spice. The viral replication process is accelerated with the main structural protease of SARS-CoV-2. The formation of hydrogen bonds between this serine-type protease and garlic bioactives in the active site regions inhibits the COVID-19 outbreak. The daily dietary intake of garlic and its derived-products as an adjuvant therapy may improve side effects and toxicity of the main therapeutic drugs with reducing the used dose.

Supplementation of various zinc sources modify sexual development and testicular IGF family gene expression in pre-pubertal male Japanese quail.

Zinc plays an important role in the regulation of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). IGF system, in turn, has a key role in the development and functions of the reproductive organs. This research was performed to investigate the effects of different sources of zinc on IGF-I gene expression and testicular development in pre-pubertal male Japanese quail. A total of 512 unsexed day-old Japanese quail chicks were randomly divided into 16 groups (4 dietary treatments × 4 replicates) and kept for 35 days. The control group diet was not supplemented with zinc whereas the diets of three groups were supplemented with 25 mg kg-1 zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnON), and zinc-methionine (Zn-Met). On days 28 and 35, one birds from each subgroup were weighed, bled, and euthanized to evaluate gonado-somatic index (GSI), testicular histology, serum testosterone concentration, cloacal gland index (CGI), and the testicular IGF family gene expression. The results showed that GSI was higher in ZnON (2.307) than control (1.619) on day 35 (P < .05). Germinal epithelium thickness was higher in ZnON (78.88 µm) and Zn-Met (79.73 µm) than control (67.73 µm) on day 35 (P < .05). On day 35, the testosterone concentration was lowest in the control (5.830 ng/ml, P < .05). The CGI of 35-day-old birds was higher in Zn-Met (411.28) than the control (307.59, P < .05). IGF-IR mRNA expression was highest in Zn-Met group on day 28. Therefore, supplementation of diet with Zn-methionine is superior to other sources of zinc for diet supplementation in immature Japanese quail.

The effect of selenium supplementation on cystine crystal volume in patients with cystinuria.

BACKGROUND: Cystinuria as an autosomal recessive sickness is a relatively rare disease. Formation of cystine stones indicates cystinuria. Few studies are considered the cysteine crystal volume in management of cystinuria. Selenium may inhibit organization of crystal stone, growth and stone aggregation. Since the role of selenium on inhibition of cystine crystal formation is not known, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of selenium supplementation on cystine crystals volume in patients with cystinuria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This double-blind clinical trial study was conducted on 48 patients in Al-Zahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran from 2015 to 2017. These patients received selenium (200 mg/ daily) for 6 weeks. The urine crystal volume was evaluated before and after treatment. Data were entered SPSS and analyzed by Paired sample T test, Spearman and Pearson coefficient correlation. P- value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: In current study, mean cystine crystal volume before and after treatment was 6787.4 ± 11902.6 and 3110.9 ± 7225.4, respectively. Significant difference was observed before and after treatment in terms of cystine crystal volume (p < 0.001). No relation was observed between the mean cystine crystal volume with sex, age and type of medical procedures (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, selenium treatment affected cystine crystal volume. It seems that selenium had the potential value to alleviate the volume of cystine crystal. Therefore, since reducing of cystine crystal volume decreases crystal formation, selenium may be effective to cure patients with cystinuria. However, age, sex and type of medical procedures did not affect cysteine crystal volume.

Comparative effects of zinc oxide, zinc oxide nanoparticle and zinc-methionine on hatchability and reproductive variables in male Japanese quail.

The objective was to examine the effect of different dietary zinc sources on reproduction of male Japanese quail. A total of 512 quail chicks (day-old) were divided into four groups with four replications for a period of 42 days. After this period, excess chicks were removed to attain the ratio of one male to three females and 16 quail in each subgroup. At 52 to 60 d of age, the eggs were collected and incubated. The basal diet (control) contained no zinc and the other three experimental diets were supplemented with 25 and 50 mg/kg zinc from zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP) and zinc-methionine (Zn-Met) for 1 to 35 and 36 to 60 days, respectively. On day 42, two males from each replicate were euthanized. Males from the ZnO and Zn-Met treatments had an increase (P < 0.05) in seminiferous tubule diameters (STD) and germinal epithelium thickness (GET) compared with the control and ZnONP treatments. Cloacal gland index (CGI) was greatest (P < 0.05) for the Zn-Met compared with the other groups. Testosterone concentration was greater (P < 0.05) in the ZnO and Zn-Met compared with the other groups. Addition of Zn-Met to the diet enhanced (P < 0.05) fertility, hatchability and hatched chick weight compared with the other groups. Early and late embryonic death was greater (P < 0.05) in the control and ZnONP groups, respectively, compared with the other groups. This study indicated that supplementing diets with the Zn-Met source improves male Japanese quail reproductive performance and hatchability traits while zinc oxide nanoparticles have detrimental effects on male Japanese quail reproduction and reduces hatchability.

Vitamin D-Fortified Bread Is as Effective as Supplement in Improving Vitamin D Status: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

CONTEXT: Bread can potentially be a suitable vehicle for fortification with vitamin D. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the following: 1) the bioavailability of vitamin D from the fortified Iranian bread and 2) the possible effects of daily consumption of the fortified bread on certain health aspects. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted over 8 weeks in 90 healthy subjects aged 20-60 years. INTERVENTION: Subjects were randomly allocated to one of three groups: 1) fortified bread (FP; 50 g bread fortified with 25 µg vitamin D3 plus placebo daily; n = 30); 2) supplement (SP; 50 g plain bread plus 25 µg vitamin D supplement daily; n = 30); and 3) control (CP; 50 g plain bread plus placebo daily; n = 30). OUTCOME MEASURES: Initial and final anthropometric and biochemical assessments were performed. RESULTS: The within-group changes of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were 39.0 ± 22.6 (P < .001), 28.9 ± 31.2 (P < .001), and -9.2 ± 12.3 nmol/L in the FP, SP, and CP groups, respectively. Only in FP and SP groups, serum intact PTH concentrations decreased approximately 13.5% and 14.5%, respectively. Visceral fat also showed a significant decrement in FP (-1.05% ± 1.4%; P ≤ .001) and SP (-0.96% ± 1.7%; P = .006). Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration showed a within-group reduction in FP (-10.4 ± 11.2 mg/dL; P < .001) and an insignificant decrement in SP (-6.6 ± 20.2 mg/dL; P = .083). Serum high-density lipoprotein increased in both vitamin D-supplemented groups (FP: 9.7 ± 7.6 vs SP: 5.7 ± 6.7 mg/dL; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D-fortified bread could be potentially effective in raising circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of the population to nearly adequate levels.

Development of fortified biscuit using NaFeEDTA.

BACKGROUND: Sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetic acetate (NaFeEDTA) is a promising iron fortificant for populations consuming high-phytate diets. It produces fewer organoleptic effects than other fortificants do, especially when the matrix of the food vehicle contains fat, and has a bioavailability two to four times higher than that of ferrous sulfate. This study investigated the effects of varying levels of NaFeEDTA (576-1152 mg kg(-1)) on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of Petit Beurre biscuits. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in pH, ash, moisture and breaking strength values among all formulae. The iron content (7.2-14.4 mg per 100 g) of the biscuits increased with increasing fortificant level. During a 60 day storage period the peroxide value increased in both fortified and non-fortified formulae, especially after 28 days. The addition of NaFeEDTA had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the colour, texture and flavour of fortified biscuits. CONCLUSION: Based on the range proposed for the use of NaFeEDTA as a fortification agent (10 mg iron and 67 mg EDTA per person per day), the results of this study reveal that 720 mg kg(-1) NaFeEDTA (9 mg iron per 100 g) is the optimum level for iron fortification in Petit Beurre biscuits.