Ultrasonic treatment as a modern technique to facilitate the extraction of phenolic compounds from organic sunflower seed cakes.

BACKGROUND: Three different organic sunflower seed cakes, produced from seeds differing in the content of their hulls, were extracted by two different extraction methods - conventional extraction (CE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). The total phenolic compound (TPC) content of the extracts was evaluated using Folin-Ciocâlteu reagent (FCR) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant capacity of extracts was evaluated with the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. RESULTS: The results showed that both extracts displayed high TPC content and antioxidant capacity. The UAE method showed significantly higher TPC content and antioxidant capacity values than CE. Individual phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid (CGA) isomers (3-, 4- and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acids), di-CGA isomers, and feruloylquinic and coumaroylquinic acids were identified according to their exact masses by HPLC coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry. CONCLUSION: The results revealed that the UAE method could be used effectively to facilitate the extraction of phenolic compounds from sunflower seed cake. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Association Between ß-thalassemia and Atrial Fibrillation: Insights from the United States National Inpatient Sample.

Transfusion-dependent ß-thalassemia (thalassemia major and thalassemia intermedia) (BT) requires repeated blood transfusions for survival due to ineffective erythropoiesis. Consequently, iron overload can predispose the patient to atrial fibrillation (AF) despite the improved prognosis achieved with transfusion and chelation therapy. We sought to study the impact of AF on BT patients through a large database analysis. The current study used data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample collected from 2016-2019. A total of 17,150 admissions were included, of which 2100 (12.2%) admissions had a concomitant diagnosis of AF. Admissions with AF were older (mean age, 72.1 vs. 47.3 years; P < .001) and more likely to have congestive heart failure (CHF), hypertension, valvular heart disease, and renal disease. BT admission was associated with a higher AF prevalence than non-BT admission across all age groups. AF was not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-2.78; P = .398) or an increased length of stay (LOS) (aOR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.78-1.29; P = .997) in the general cohort. In a subgroup analysis, AF was associated with increased in-hospital mortality in women (aOR, 2.73; 95% CI, 1.09-6.8; P = .031). Predictors of in-hospital mortality were increasing age, CHF, and liver disease, while predictors of prolonged LOS were diabetes mellitus, CHF, and increasing age. Further studies are warranted to develop strategies to improve the quality of care and outcome in this population.

Proapoptotic and Antiproliferative Effects of the Desert Truffle Terfezia boudieri on Colon Cancer Cell Lines.

Background: Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality, and ranks third among cancers in terms of prevalence. Despite advances in early detection and treatment with chemotherapy and surgery, colon cancer continues to be associated with high recurrence rates, thereby resulting in a heavy disease burden. Moreover, the effectiveness of currently available treatment modalities is limited by the occurrence of toxic side effects. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop alternative treatments. Extracts from the black desert truffle Terfezia boudieri (T. boudieri) have shown promising anticancer properties. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying this activity remain poorly understood. Methods: In this study, the colon cancer cell lines HCT-116 and Caco-2 were treated with either water or ethanolic extract of T. boudieri. Cell viability and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration were determined using MTT assays. Then, the activity of the more potent water extract was further verified using crystal violet assays, and its role in inhibiting colony formation and wound healing was investigated. Protein levels of p53, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X (Bax), cyclin D1 (CCND1), and c-Myc were measured in cells treated with different doses of the water extract. Results: Treatment with the water extract of T. boudieri reduced the capacity of cells for wound healing and colony formation in a dose-dependent manner. The Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and p53 expression were elevated in both cell lines. In contrast, the levels of cyclin D1 and c-Myc were suppressed. Conclusion: T. boudieri water extract exerted a cytotoxic effect on colon cancer cells, and blocked colony formation and wound healing potentially through inhibition of proliferation. Mechanistically, these effects are attributed to influence the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, proteins involved in cellular proliferation, and the cell cycle.

T-2 toxin-induced intestinal damage with dysregulation of metabolism, redox homeostasis, inflammation, and apoptosis in chicks.

T-2 toxin is a worldwide problem for feed and food safety, leading to livestock and human health risks. The objective of this study was to explore the mechanism of T-2 toxin-induced small intestine injury in broilers by integrating the advanced microbiomic, metabolomic and transcriptomic technologies. Four groups of 1-day-old male broilers (n = 4 cages/group, 6 birds/cage) were fed a control diet and control diet supplemented with T-2 toxin at 1.0, 3.0, and 6.0 mg/kg, respectively, for 2 weeks. Compared with the control, dietary T-2 toxin reduced feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and the apparent metabolic rates and induced histopathological lesions in the small intestine to varying degrees by different doses. Furthermore, the T-2 toxin decreased the activities of glutathione peroxidase, thioredoxin reductase and total antioxidant capacity but increased the concentrations of protein carbonyl and malondialdehyde in the duodenum in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the integrated microbiomic, metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis results revealed that the microbes, metabolites, and transcripts were primarily involved in the regulation of nucleotide and glycerophospholipid metabolism, redox homeostasis, inflammation, and apoptosis were related to the T-2 toxin-induced intestinal damage. In summary, the present study systematically elucidated the intestinal toxic mechanisms of T-2 toxin, which provides novel ideas to develop a detoxification strategy for T-2 toxin in animals.

Beneficial role of naringin against methotrexate-induced injury to rat testes: biochemical and ultrastructural analyses.

BACKGROUND: Methotrexate (MTX) is a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug that has adverse toxic effects on germ cells. Naringin (NG) is a natural flavanone glycoside, with different phytotherapeutic applications, and its possible protective effects against MTX-induced testicular tissue damage were investigated in this study. METHODS: Low and high doses of NG (40 and 80 mg/kg/day) were given for 10 days by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection and MTX (20 mg/kg i.p.) was given at the 4th day of the experiment, with or without NG in rats. RESULTS: The obtained results showed that exposure to MTX increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and nitric oxide (NO) production compared with the control. In the meantime, MTX depleted catalse (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and reduced glutathione (GSH) in the testicular tissue. Further, serum testosterone levels were significantly decreased in the MTX group. NG significantly counteracted the aforementioned effects of MTX; however, NG80 was more effective in restoring SOD, GR, MDA and NO. Interestingly, NG80 achieved a better improvement in the ultrastructural pattern of the testicular cells in MTX-exposed rats. CONCLUSION: These results indicated, for the first time, that NG could be a potential candidate therapy against MTX-reprotoxic impacts.

Is Holmium Laser Enucleation of Prostate equally effective in management of benign prostatic hyperplasia patients with either voiding or storage lower urinary tract symptoms? A comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the effectiveness and safety of holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP) in relieving either voiding or storage lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The charts of patients with BPH who underwent HoLEP for either predominant voiding or predominant storage LUTS at University of Cincinnati hospitals in the period between February 2015 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed for changes in voiding symptomatology, storage symptomatology, hematuria, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), peak flow rates (Qmax), presence of detrusor overactivity (DO), and post-voiding residual urine (PVR) from baseline to up to 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 132 patients were included in the analysis. Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 included BPH patients with predominant voiding LUTS (68 Patients) while group 2 involved those with predominant storage LUTS (64 Patients). HoLEP was equally effective in management of both groups with significant improvement in urodynamics study (UDS) parameters, patient voiding and storage symptomatology, and IPSS from preoperatively to up to 6 months postoperatively with relatively low procedure complication rate and postoperative need for medication or procedure. CONCLUSIONS: HoLEP is a safe, effective, and reliable minimally invasive surgical modality that can be relied on for BPH patients with either predominant voiding or predominant storage symptoms with relatively low procedure complicat.

Keratinase improves the growth performance, meat quality and redox status of broiler chickens fed a diet containing feather meal.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of dietary supplementation of keratinase on the production of broilers fed a diet containing feather meal. A total of 162 1-d-old Cobb 500 male broiler (n = 9 cages/diet with 6 chicks/cage) were randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments. The broilers were fed a corn-soybean-feather meal based diet (BD), or BD supplemented with keratinase at 100,000 or 200,000 U/kg for 6 weeks. Compared to the control, dietary supplementation with 200,000 U/kg keratinase increased (P < 0.05) body weight gain (3.6-4.3%) and reduced feed conversion ratio (2.4-5.6%) during the various experimental periods, and also improved (P < 0.05) apparent total tract digestibility of ash and calcium by 45.0% and 8.8%, respectively. Meanwhile, dietary supplementation of keratinase at 100,000 U/kg reduced (P < 0.05) the drip loss (29.2%), while 200,000 U/kg keratinase supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the pH value (1.6%) at 45 min and decreased (P < 0.05) the lightness (L* value; 13.6%) and drip loss (22.1%) of pectoral muscle. Moreover, dietary supplementation of keratinase at both levels of 100,000 and 200,000 U/kg increased (P < 0.05) Glutathione peroxidase activity (82.5-87.5%) and decreased the Malondialdehyde concentration (14.5-18.3%) in the pectoral muscle. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of keratinase at 200,000 U/kg can improve the performance, meat quality, apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients, and redox status of broiler chickens fed a diet containing feather meal.

Combination of docosahexaenoic acid and Ginko biloba extract improves cognitive function and hippocampal tissue damages in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases characterized by a progressive loss of memory and other cognitive functions among elder people. Nowadays, natural antioxidants have been used to recover the quality of life for those with AD. In this study, we investigated, for the first time, the combined effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Ginkgo bilobastandardized extract (EGb761) on AD mice. AD was induced in adult male albino mice with AlCl3 (20 mg/kg b.w, i.g.) and D-galactose (D-gal; 120 mg/kg, i.p.) for 90 days. 30 days after induction, mice were treated with DHA (200 mg/kg b.w., i.g.) and EGb761 (200 mg/kg b.w., i.g.) for two months. Our data revealed that the dual treatment of DHA and EGb761 significantly improved cognitive memory and spatial learning abilities in AD-induced mice. The drug treatments preserved the hippocampal CA3 architecture and restored neuronal ultrastructural alterations. Expression of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), the most implicated protein phosphatase in AD neurodegeneration, was highly upregulated in the CA3 hippocampus of AD mice treated with DHA and EGb761. Intriguingly, TNF-α expression was significantly reduced in the same group. In conclusion, our findings proved that the combined effect of DHA and EGb761 tended to be potent against the neurodegenerative effect of AlCl3 and D-gal. The applied treatment enhanced neuronal survival and cognitive functions via upregulation of PP2A and restoration of TNF-α expression.

Selenium mitigated aflatoxin B1-induced cardiotoxicity with potential regulation of 4 selenoproteins and ferroptosis signaling in chicks.

The aim of the present study was to explore the underlying mechanism of selenium (Se)-mediated detoxification of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced cardiotoxicity in chicks. A Se-deficient, corn-soybean meal-basal diet (36 µg Se/kg, BD) and three test diets (BD+1.0 mg AFB1/kg, 0.3 mg Se/kg, or 1.0 mg AFB1/kg+0.3 mg Se/kg) were used in a 3-wk 2 × 2 factorial design trial (n = 30 chicks/group). Dietary AFB1 led to induced (P < 0.05) serum creatine kinase and creatine kinase MB isoenzyme activities and heart histopathologic lesions. However, Se deficiency aggravated most of these alterations induced by AFB1. Moreover, mRNA levels of two ferroptosis activators (solute carrier family 11 Member 2 and transferrin) were upregulated (P < 0.05) in the AFB1-treated groups. Additionally, Se deficiency reduced (P < 0.05) glutathione peroxidase (GPX) 3 and thioredoxin reductase 3 mRNA and GPX activity but increased (P < 0.05) selenoprotein M and selenophosphate synthetase 2 mRNA in the heart in AFB1-administered groups. The in vitro study showed that Se alleviated (P < 0.05) AFB1-reduced cell viability and induced (P < 0.05) ROS and ferroptosis in H9C2 cardiac cells. It also downregulated (P < 0.05) two ferroptosis activators (long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 4 and solute carrier family 11 Member 2) in the AFB1-treated groups in the H9C2 cells. In conclusion, this study illustrated that Se alleviates AFB1-induced cardiotoxicity and cardiomyocyte damage potentially related to the regulation of redox status, 4 selenoproteins, and ferroptosis-related signaling.

Ameliorative effects of colostrum against DMBA hepatotoxicity in rats.

Colostrum, the sole diet for newborns, is an emerging nutraceutical. To date, the chemopreventive effect of Bovine Colostrum against liver injury induced by the potent carcinogen, 7,12-dimethyl-Benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) is unexplored. Humans are daily exposed to DMBA which is a highly lipophilic environmental organic pollutant. The study aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective role of Bovine Colostrum against DMBA-induced hepatotoxicity using a rat model. Fifty male rats were divided into five groups; GI (control), GII (olive oil, vehicle for DMBA), GIII (DMBA), GIV (DMBA + Bovine Colostrum), GV (Bovine Colostrum). After 12 weeks, body weight changes and mortality were calculated. Histological and ultrastructural examinations of liver tissue were performed. Expressions of p53, TGFß2, TNF-α, S6K2, and c20orf20 were assessed by RT-PCR. Post-treatment with Bovine Colostrum increased both the body weight and the survival rate of rats treated with DMBA. In addition, remarkable protection against the pathological effect of DMBA was noted. Ultrastructurally, Bovine Colostrum ameliorated/prevented most of the toxic effects of DMBA on hepatocytes, including irregularities of nuclear envelope, clumping, and margination of heterochromatin aggregates, segregated nucleoli, and mitochondrial pleomorphism. Bovine Colostrum administration down-regulated p53, C20orf20, and S6K2 mRNA levels, and up-regulated TNF-α and TGFß2. In conclusion, Bovine Colostrum have a protective effect against DMBA-induced toxicity on the liver of albino rats. Consequently, Bovine Colostrum may prevent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-induced hepatotoxicity and may be useful in promoting human health if supplemented in the diet.

Dietary Se deficiency dysregulates metabolic and cell death signaling in aggravating the AFB1 hepatotoxicity of chicks.

The objective of this study was to use isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) proteomic technology to systematically analyze the hepatotoxic mechanism of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and its prevention by Se in broilers. Four groups of day-old broilers were allocated into a 2 × 2 factorial design trial that fed a Se-deficient based diet (BD) or the BD + 1.0 mg AFB1/kg, 0.3 mg Se/kg, or 1.0 mg AFB1/kg plus 0.3 mg Se/kg for 3 wk. Dietary AFB1 increased serum ALT and decreased total protein and albumin concentrations, and induced hepatic histopathological lesions in Se adequate groups. Notably, Se deficiency exacerbated these AFB1-induced changes. Furthermore, Se deficiency reduced hepatic glutathione peroxidase but increased thioredoxin reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine concentration in AFB1 administrated groups. Moreover, AFB1 dysregulated 261 co-differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in both Se adequate and deficiency diets, and Se deficiency dysregulated 64 DEPs in AFB1 administrated diets. These DEPs are mainly related to phase I and II metabolizing enzymes, heat shock proteins, DNA repair, fatty acid metabolism and apoptosis. The in vitro study has verified that aldo-keto reductase family1, member10 plays an important role in AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity and Se-mediated detoxification of AFB1 in a chicken leghorn male hepatoma cells. Conclusively, this study has analyzed the hepatic proteome response to dietary AFB1 and Se, and thus shed new light on the mechanisms of hepatotoxicity of AFB1 and its detoxification by Se in broilers.

Dipteran Carboxymethyl Chitosan as an Inexhaustible Derivative with a Potential Antiproliferative Activity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Traditional folk therapies indicate that insects have diverse medicinal potentials. However, the therapeutic application of insect chitosan and its derivatives has not been explored. To investigate the application of chitosan and its derivatives, the carboxymethyl derivative of chitosan (CM-Ch) was extracted from two dipteran larvae species, Chrysomya albiceps and Sarcophaga aegyptiaca. The degree of deacetylation (DD) and CM-Ch functional groups were validated using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), respectively. The molecular weight was estimated using MALDI-TOF MS analysis. The effect of CM-Ch on the morphology and proliferation of human liver HepG2 cancer cells was assessed. IC50 of CM-Ch induced significant growth-inhibitory effects in HepG2 cells. CM-Ch treatment altered the morphology of HepG2 in a dose-dependent manner and induced apoptosis in a caspase-dependent manner. CM-Ch treatment showed no signs of toxicity, and no alterations in liver and kidney biochemical markers were observed in albino rats. A CM-Ch derivative from commercial crustacean chitosan was used to assess the efficacy of the insect-derived CM-Ch. The data presented here introduce insect CM-Ch as a promising, inexhaustible, safe derivative of chitosan with antitumor potential in liver cancer. This is the first report highlighting the anticancer activity of insect CM-Ch in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Yeast culture promotes the production of aged laying hens by improving intestinal digestive enzyme activities and the intestinal health status.

Yeast culture (YC) positively affects the performance of laying hens. The purpose of the present study was to explore the underlying mechanism for the YC-mediated performance improvement. Sixty 67-week-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly allocated into 2 experimental groups with 5 replicates of 6 birds each. One group was fed a control diet, whereas the other received the control diet supplemented with YC at 3.0 g/kg; treatment lasted for 8 wk. The results showed that dietary YC supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the total egg weight (11.2-13.6%) and egg-laying rate (13.0-13.5%) but decreased (P < 0.05) the feed/egg ratio by 9.3 to 11.0% during weeks 5 to 6 and 7 to 8 compared with the control. However, egg quality, including eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, egg weight, albumen height, egg yolk color, and Haugh unit, was not affected (P > 0.05) by YC supplementation. Furthermore, dietary YC supplementation increased (P < 0.05) chymotrypsin and ɑ-amylase activities by 54.8 to 62.5% in the duodenal chyme and reduced (P < 0.05) plasma endotoxin by 44.1%. YC dietary supplementation also upregulated (P < 0.05) the mRNA levels of intestinal barrier-related genes (occludin and claudin 1) and antimicrobial peptides genes (ß-defensin 1 and 7 and cathelicidin 1 and 3) in the duodenum or jejunum compared with the control. In conclusion, dietary YC supplementation improved the performance of aged laying hens, potentially through the upregulation of intestinal digestive enzyme activities and intestinal health-related gene expression.

Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using a Novel Cyanobacteria Desertifilum sp. extract: Their Antibacterial and Cytotoxicity Effects.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of multi drug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections and cancer has necessitated the development and discovery of alternative eco-safe antibacterial and anticancer agents. Biogenic fabrication of metallic nanoparticles is an emerging discipline for production of nanoproducts that exert potent anticancer and antibacterial activity, and do not suffer from the limitations inherent in physiochemical synthesis methods. METHODOLOGY: In this study, we isolated, purified, and characterized a novel cyanobacteria extract (Desertifilum IPPAS B-1220) to utilize in biofabrication of silver nanoparticles (D-SNPs). D-SNPs were produced by adding Desertifilum extract to silver nitrate solution under controlled conditions. Biofabrication of D-SNPs was confirmed using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The resultant D-SNPs were characterized using XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM. The toxicity of D-SNPs against five pathogenic bacteria and three cancer cell lines (MCF-7, HepG2, and Caco-2) was evaluated. RESULTS: Formation of D-SNPs was indicated by a color change from pale yellow to dark brown. The peak of the surface plasmon resonance of the D-SNPs was at 421 nm. The XRD detected the crystallinity of D-SNPs. FTIR showed that polysaccharides and proteins may have contributed to the biofabrication of D-SNPs. Under SEM and TEM, the D-SNPs were spherical with diameter ranges from 4.5 to 26 nm. The D-SNPs significantly suppressed the growth of five pathogenic bacteria, and exerted cytotoxic effects against MCF-7, HepG2, and Caco-2 cancer cells with IC50 values of 58, 32, and 90 µg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings showed for the first time the potentiality of novel cyanobacteria strain Desertifilum IPPAS B-1220 to fabricate small SNPs that acted as potent anticancer and antibacterial material against different cancer cell lines and pathogenic bacterial strains. These findings encourage the researchers to focus on cyanobacteria in general and especially Desertifilum sp. IPPAS B-1220 for synthesizing different NPs that opening the window for new applications.

A Novel Modified Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate (HSCAS) Adsorbent Can Effectively Reduce T-2 Toxin-Induced Toxicity in Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Serum Biochemistry, and Small Intestinal Morphology in Chicks.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of a modified hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) adsorbent to reduce the toxicity of T-2 toxin in broilers. Ninety-six one-day-old male broilers were randomly allocated into four experimental groups with four replicates of six birds each. The four groups, 1-4, received a basal diet (BD), a BD plus 6.0 mg/kg T-2 toxin, a BD plus 6.0 mg/kg T-2 toxin with 0.05% modified HSCAS adsorbent, and a BD plus 0.05% modified HSCAS adsorbent, respectively, for two weeks. Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum biochemistry, and small intestinal histopathology were analyzed. Compared to the control group, dietary supplementation of T-2 toxin decreased (p < 0.05) body weight gain, feed intake, and the feed conversion ratio by 11.4%-31.8% during the whole experiment. It also decreased (p < 0.05) the apparent metabolic rates of crude protein, calcium, and total phosphorus by 14.9%-16.1%. The alterations induced by T-2 toxin were mitigated (p < 0.05) by the supplementation of the modified HSCAS adsorbent. Meanwhile, dietary modified HSCAS adsorbent supplementation prevented (p < 0.05) increased serum aspartate aminotransferase by T-2 toxin at d 14. It also prevented (p < 0.05) T-2 toxin-induced morphological changes and damage in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of broilers. However, dietary supplementation of the modified HSCAS adsorbent alone did not affect (p > 0.05) any of these variables. In conclusion, these findings indicate that the modified HSCAS adsorbent could be used against T-2 toxin-induced toxicity in growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and hepatic and small intestinal injuries in chicks.

Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract Alleviates AflatoxinB1-Induced Immunotoxicity and Oxidative Stress via Modulation of NF-κB and Nrf2 Signaling Pathways in Broilers.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a widely spread mycotoxin contaminates food and feed, causing severe oxidative stress damages and immunotoxicity. Grape seed proanthocyanidin (GSPE), a natural antioxidant with wide range of pharmacological and medicinal properties. The goal of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of GSPE against AFB1-induced immunotoxicity and oxidative stress via NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling pathways in broiler chickens. For the experiment, 240 one-day old Cobb chicks were allocated into four dietary treatment groups of six replicates (10 birds per replicate): 1. Basal diet (control); 2. Basal diet + AFB1 1mg/kg contaminated corn (AFB1); 3. Basal diet + GSPE 250 mg/kg (GSPE); 4. Basal diet + AFB1 1 mg/kg + GSPE 250 mg/kg (AFB1 + GSPE). The results showed that GSPE significantly decreased serum inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1ß, IL-10, and IL-6 induced by AFB1. Similarly, GSPE + AFB1 treated group revealed a significant decrease in mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1ß, and IL-6) in the splenic tissue compared to the AFB1 treatment group. In addition, western blotting results manifested that GSPE treatment normalized the phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B (p65) and the degradation of IκBα protein induced by AFB1. Furthermore, GSPE enhanced the antioxidant defense system through activating the nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor (Nrf2) signaling pathway. The mRNA and protein expression level of Nrf2 and its down streaming associated genes were noted up-regulated by the addition of GSPE, and down-regulated in the AFB1 group. Taken together, GSPE alleviates AFB1-induced immunotoxicity and oxidative damage by inhibiting the NF-κB and activating the Nrf2 signaling pathways in broiler chickens. Conclusively, our results suggest that GSPE could be considered as a potential natural agent for the prevention of AFB1-induced immunotoxicity and oxidative damage.

Dietary Silymarin Supplementation Alleviates Zearalenone-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Reproductive Toxicity in Rats.

Background: Zearalenone (ZEN) can cause serious defects in development and reproduction in humans and animals. Silymarin shows antioxidant and estrogenic effects. Objective: This study was conducted to determine if silymarin can antagonize ZEN-induced hepatic and reproductive toxicities. Methods: Thirty-five 21-d-old female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 7/diet) were fed a control diet (Ctrl) or Ctrl plus 20 mg ZEN/kg or Ctrl plus 20 mg ZEN/kg with 100, 200, or 500 mg silymarin/kg for 6 wk. Serum, livers, ovaries, and uterus were collected at week 6 for biochemistry, hormone, and redox status and selected gene and protein assays. Results: The consumption of ZEN decreased (P < 0.05) the final body weight by 17.9%, induced liver injury, increased (P < 0.05) aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, and decreased (P < 0.05) total protein and albumin concentrations in serum by 16.7-40.6%. ZEN also caused reproductive toxicity, including decreased (P < 0.05) 17ß-estradiol and increased (P < 0.05) follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations in serum by 12.7-46.3% and induced histopathologic alterations in the liver, ovaries, and uterus. Interestingly, these alterations induced by ZEN were alleviated (P < 0.05) by silymarin supplementation at 100, 200, and 500 mg/kg. Moreover, silymarin supplementation at the 3 doses mitigated (P < 0.05) ZEN-induced impairment in hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity, total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde concentration by 17.6-100%. Meanwhile, silymarin supplementation at all doses upregulated (P < 0.05) phospho-ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (p-RPS6KB1) and 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B) by 43.0-121% but downregulated (P < 0.05) AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3A) in the liver relative to the ZEN group by 11.2-40.6%. In addition, silymarin supplementation at all doses elevated (P < 0.05) HSD3B by 1.8- to 2.5-fold and decreased (P < 0.05) estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), ATP binding cassette (ABC) c1, and Abcc5 in ovaries and the uterus by 10.7-63.2%. Conclusion: Dietary silymarin supplementation at 100, 200, and 500 mg/kg protected rats from ZEN-induced hepatotoxicity and reproductive toxicity, potentially through improvement in the antioxidant capacity and regulation in the genes related to protein synthesis, ZEN metabolism, hormone synthesis, and ABC transporters in the tissues.

Efficacy of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid compared to DL-Methionine on growth performance, carcass traits, feather growth, and redox status of Cherry Valley ducks.

The objective of this study was to compare the bio-efficacy of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid (DL-HMTBA) with that of DL-methionine (DLM) as sources of methionine in terms of the growth performance, carcass traits, feather growth, and redox statuses of Cherry Valley ducks. Six hundred and thirty male ducks were randomly allotted to 9 dietary treatment groups with 7 replicates of 10 birds each. The first group received a basal diet (BD) without methionine addition that was deficient in the total number of sulfur amino acids. In Groups 2 to 5 and Groups 6 to 9, the BD was supplemented with 4 increasing doses of methionine as either DLM or DL-HMTBA. The trial was run from ages 1 to 42 d. Dietary supplementation with DLM and DL-HMTBA improved body weight gain and feed intake as well as weights of carcasses, breast meat, and feathers compared with the BD. No significant difference was observed between the 2 methionine sources on growth performance, carcass traits, and feather growth. Concentrations of some redox markers in the pectoralis major muscle were improved by addition of methionine to the BD. However, a significant difference was observed between DLM and DL-HMTBA in this respect, as the supplementation of DL-HMTBA significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity, the activities of glutathione peroxidase, and the concentration of reduced glutathione in the pectoralis major muscle, compared with DLM. No significant difference between methionine sources was found with regard to the concentrations of oxidized glutathione and malondialdehyde in the pectoralis major muscle. Both DLM and DL-HMTBA increased malondialdehyde concentrations in the pectoralis major muscle compared with the BD. In conclusion, these results indicated that DLM and DL-HMTBA have equal biological value for the growth performance, carcass traits, and feather growth of Cherry Valley duck. Moreover, the improved antioxidant capacity observed with DL-HMTBA makes this a better candidate than DLM for lowering the oxidation process in the meat during post-mortem storage and thereby contributes to a better duck meat quality.

Potential Antitumor Activity and Apoptosis Induction of Glossostemon bruguieri Root Extract against Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Glossostemon bruguieri (moghat) is used as a nutritive and demulcent drink. This study was performed to investigate the antiproliferative effects of moghat root extract (MRE) and its apoptotic mechanism in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, HepG2 and Hep3B. MTT assay, morphological changes, apoptosis enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, caspase and apoptotic activation, flow cytometry, and immunoblot analysis were employed. The IC50 of MRE for HepG2 (910 ± 6 µg/ml) and for Hep3B (1510 ± 5 µg/ml) induced significant growth-inhibitory effects against HCC cells, with no cytotoxic effect on normal hepatocytes. MRE treatment induced apoptotic effects to HepG2 cells in a caspase-dependent manner and via upregulating p53/p21 and PCNA. The upregulation of p21 was controlled by p53 expression in HepG2 but not in Hep3B despite upregulation of Bax protein in both cell lines. Interestingly, p21 may be a remarkable switch to G1 arrest in HepG2 cells, but not in Hep3B cells. In addition, Fas- and mitochondria-mediated pathways were found to be involved in MRE-induced apoptosis in Hep3B cells. The GC-MS analysis of MRE revealed two major constituents of pharmaceutical importance: the flavonoid apigenin (17.04%) and the terpenoid squalene (11.32%). The data presented in this paper introduces G. bruguieri as a promising nontoxic herb with therapeutic potential for HCC. To the authors' knowledge, the present study provides the first report on the anticancer activity of MRE on HCC cells.

Histological and immunohistochemical effects of L-arginine and silymarin on TNBS-induced inflammatory bowel disease in rats.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease that affects quality of life. Various mediators are involved in IBD pathogenesis including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), cytochrome c, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. L-Arginine (L-Arg) can be depleted in IBD, and silymarin inhibits neutrophil infiltration, NF-κB, and TNF-α, which have crucial roles in inducing IBD. This study aimed to investigate whether silymarin and L-Arg supplementation decreases IBD progression in trinitrobenzine-sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis. Fifty adult male albino rats were randomized into five groups (10 animals per group): Group I rats orally received 100 mg silymarin/kg body weight once daily; Group II rats orally received 2 mg L-Arg/100 g body weight in 5 mL distilled water once daily; Group III rats rectally received 0.85 mL TNBS in 50% ethanol to induce colitis; Group IV rats were treated similar to group III and, on recovery from anesthesia, received silymarin as described for group I; and Group V rats were treated similar to group III and, on recovery from anesthesia, received L-Arg as described for group II. On day 7, the rats were anesthetized, and blood samples were collected to determine the serum concentrations of TNF-α. Laparotomy and total colectomy were performed for macroscopic, histological, and immunohistochemical investigations. The results showed that silymarin and L-Arg macroscopically and microscopically ameliorated TNBS-induced colitis; significantly decreased the serum levels of TNF-α; inhibited the colonic expression of iNOS, NF-κB, and cytochrome c; and increased expression of HSP70. Our results suggest that these complementary medicines could be used to supplement current treatments for IBD.