Safety evaluation of phytosterols in laying hens: effects on laying performance, clinical blood parameters, and organ development.

Phytosterols are intended for use as a novel food ingredient with plasma cholesterol-lowering activity. Although phytosterols are naturally present in the normal diet, daily consumption is insufficient to ensure plasma cholesterol-lowering levels. Therefore, phytosterols may be added to the diets to achieve the desired cholesterol-lowering activity. A subchronic laying hen safety study was conducted to examine if high-dose phytosterols could affect the safety of hens. Three hundred sixty 21-wk-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly assigned to 5 groups with 6 replicates of 12 birds each; after 3 wk, birds were fed diets supplemented with 0, 20, 80, 400, and 800 mg/kg of phytosterols for 12 wk. Throughout the study, clinical observations and laying performance were measured. At the end of the study, birds were subjected to a full postmortem examination: blood samples were taken for clinical pathology, selected organs were weighed, and specified tissues were taken for subsequent histological examination. No treatment-related changes that were considered to be of toxicological significance were observed. Therefore, a nominal phytosterol concentration of 800 mg/kg was considered to be the no-observed-adverse-effect level.

Safety evaluation of daidzein in laying hens: part I. Effects on laying performance, clinical blood parameters, and organs development.

Daidzein, an estrogen-like product, becomes increasingly popular as a dietary supplement, particularly for postpeak-estrus animals seeking a safe natural alternative to play a role of estrogen. However, there is little available safety data of it for raisers and consumers. A subchronic laying hen safety study was conducted to examine if the high-dose daidzein could affect the safety of hens selves, including laying performance, clinical blood parameters and organs development. Seven hundred and sixty-eight 56-week-old Hyline Brown were randomly assigned to 4 groups with 8 replicates of 24 birds each and 3weeks later fed diets supplemented with 0, 10, 50 and 100mg of daidzein/kg for 12weeks. The mortality was significantly decreased (P<0.05). No treatment related adverse clinical signs were observed. Mean egg production, egg mass and feed conversion of whole experiment period was significantly influenced by dietary daidzein supplement (P<0.05), showing significant quadratic response to increasing dietary daidzein supplement (P=0.029, P=0.003 and P=0.019, respectively). There was no statistically significant changes in haematology (P>0.05). In clinical chemistry parameters, total protein, total cholesterol, calcium and phosphorus were significantly affected by dietary daidzein supplement (P<0.05). The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) is considered to be 50mg/kg.

Safety evaluation of daidzein in laying hens: part II. Effects on calcium-related metabolism.

Daidzein, an estrogen-like product, has become increasingly popular as a dietary supplement, particularly for postpeak-estrus animals seeking a safe natural alternative to play a role of estrogen. However, there is little available safety data of it for raisers and consumers. A subchronic laying hensafety study has been conducted to examine if the high-dose daidzein could affect calcium-related metabolism (eggshell quality and bone mineralization). Seven hundred and sixty-eight 56-week-old Hyline Brown were randomly assigned to 4 groups with 8 replicates of 24 birds each (192 laying hensper group) and 3weeks later fed diets supplemented with 0(control), 10, 50 and 100mg of daidzein/kg for 12week. Eggshell thickness, eggshell percentage, eggshell strength, eggshell Ca concentration was increased linearly with increasing dietary daidzein supplementation (P=0.001, P=0.007, P=0.002 and P=0.000, respectively). Serum Ca increased linearly with increasing dietarydaidzein supplementation (P=0.042), and serum P showed a significant quadratic response to dietarydaidzein supplementation (P=0.036). Bone ash and bone Ca were significantly influenced by dietarydaidzein supplementation (P<0.05). These findings indicate that daidzein hold no observed adverse effect on calcium metabolism, but also a safe and effective food additive for calcium metabolism in animals and humans.

Two new triterpenoids from Picria fel-terrae.

Two new triterpenoids, picfeltarraegenin VII (1) and picfeltarraenin X (2), have been isolated from Picria fel-terrae Lour., along with three known ones, picfeltarraegenin VI (3), picfeltarraenins VI (4) and VII (5). Their structures have been elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods.