Assessment of the Impact of Humic Acids on Intestinal Microbiota, Gut Integrity, Ileum Morphometry, and Cellular Immunity of Turkey Poults Fed an Aflatoxin B1-Contaminated Diet.

A recent study published data on the growth performance, relative weights of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, liver histology, serum biochemistry, and hematological parameters for turkey poults fed an experimental diet contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and humic acids (HA) extracted from vermicompost. The negative effects of AFB1 (250 ng AFB1/g of feed) were significantly reduced by HA supplementation (0.25% w/w), suggesting that HA might be utilized to ameliorate the negative impact of AFB1 from contaminated diets. The present study shows the results of the remaining variables, as an extension of a previously published work which aimed to evaluate the impact of HA on the intestinal microbiota, gut integrity, ileum morphometry, and cellular immunity of turkey poults fed an AFB1-contaminated diet. For this objective, five equal groups of 1-day-old female Nicholas-700 turkey poults were randomly assigned to the following treatments: negative control (basal diet), positive control (basal diet + 250 ng AFB1/g), HA (basal diet + 0.25% HA), HA + AFB1 (basal diet + 0.25% HA + 250 ng AFB1/g), and Zeolite (basal diet + 0.25% zeolite + 250 ng AFB1/g). In the experiment, seven replicates of ten poults each were used per treatment (n = 70). In general, HA supplementation with or without the presence of AFB1 showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the number of beneficial butyric acid producers, ileum villi height, and ileum total area, and a significant reduction in serum levels of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-d), a marker of intestinal integrity. In contrast, poults fed with AFB1 showed a significant increase in Proteobacteria and lower numbers of beneficial bacteria, clearly suggesting gut dysbacteriosis. Moreover, poults supplemented with AFB1 displayed the lowest morphometric parameters and the highest intestinal permeability. Furthermore, poults in the negative and positive control treatments had the lowest cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity response. These findings suggest that HA supplementation enhanced intestinal integrity (shape and permeability), cellular immune response, and healthier gut microbiota composition, even in the presence of dietary exposure to AFB1. These results complement those of the previously published study, suggesting that HA may be a viable dietary intervention to improve gut health and immunity in turkey poults during aflatoxicosis.

Curcumin reduces enteric isoprostane 8-iso-PGF2α and prostaglandin GF2α in specific pathogen-free Leghorn chickens challenged with Eimeria maxima.

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate and determine the concentration of prostaglandin GF2α (PGF2α) and isoprostane 8-iso-PGF2α in plasma and intestine of specific pathogen-free (SPF) Leghorn chickens challenged with Eimeria maxima, with or without dietary supplementation of curcumin using solid-phase microextraction and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Eighty 1-day-old male SPF chickens were randomly allocated to one of four groups with four replicates (n = 5 chickens/replicate). Groups consisted of: (1) Control (no challenge), (2) Curcumin (no challenge), (3) Eimeria maxima (challenge), and (4) Eimeria maxima (challenge) + curcumin. At day 28 of age, all chickens in the challenge groups were orally gavaged with 40,000 sporulated E. maxima oocysts. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the groups regardless of the treatment or challenge with E. maxima. Enteric levels of both isoprostane 8-iso-PGF2α and PGF2α at 7 days and 9 days post-challenge were significantly increased (P < 0.01) compared to the non-challenge control chickens. Interestingly, the enteric levels of both isoprostane 8-iso-PGF2α and PGF2α at 7 days post-challenge were significantly reduced in chickens fed curcumin, compared to control chickens challenge with E. maxima. At 9 days post-challenge, only levels of isoprostane 8-iso-PGF2α in the enteric samples were significantly reduced in chickens challenged with E. maxima supplemented with curcumin, compared with E. maxima challenge chickens. No differences of isoprostane 8-iso-PGF2α or PGF2α were observed in plasma at both days of evaluation. Similarly, no significant differences were observed between the challenge control or chickens challenge with E. maxima and supplemented with curcumin at both times of evaluation. The results of this pilot study suggests that the antioxidant anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin reduced the oxidative damage and subsequent intestinal mucosal over-production of lipid oxidation products. Further studies to confirm and extend these results in broiler chickens are required.