Effects of Injectable Trace Minerals (ITMs) on Th1/Th2 Cytokine Balance of Newborn Calves with Tropical Theileriosis.

Injectable trace minerals (ITMs) could provide a potential alternative way of trace mineral delivery for sick animals. Therefore, evaluation of ameliorative potentials of ITMs (copper, manganese, selenium, and zinc) on the circulating Th1/Th2 cytokine misbalance in Theileria annulata-infected calves was aimed. Forty-three T. annulata-infected newborn calves were randomly allocated into four groups: buparvaquone alone-treated group (BUPA), buparvaquone + oxytetracycline (BUPA + OXY)-treated group, buparvaquone + injectable trace minerals (BUPA + ITMs)-treated group, and BUPA + OXY + ITM-treated group. Blood samples were collected from each of the calves before the start of therapy (day 0) and on day 14 post-therapy. Serum contents of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were estimated by bovine specific ELISA kits. On day 14 post-therapy, significant amelioration in the circulating levels of the studied cytokines was not observed in the calves treated with BUPA, while the calves treated with BUPA + OXY revealed significant (P ≤ 0.04) amelioration in the circulating tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level. The calves treated with BUPA + ITMs revealed significant (P ≤ 0.041) elevation in the circulating interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and significant (P ≤ 0.011) reduction in the interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels. Moreover, the calves treated with BUPA + OXY + ITMs revealed significant reduction in TNF-α (P ≤ 0.0001) and IL-10 (P ≤ 0.012) contents, and significant elevation in IFN-γ (P ≤ 0.0002) content on day 14 post-therapy. None of the treated calve group revealed significant alteration in the circulating level of transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) on day 14 post-therapy. In conclusion, administration of ITMs to the therapeutic regimen of newborn calves with tropical theileriosis could be a promising therapeutic strategy. ITMs can be recommended for the amelioration of immunological misbalance due to tropical theileriosis in newborn calves.

Ameliorative Potential of Prepartal Trace Mineral and Vitamin Supplementation on Parturition-Induced Redox Balance and Myeloperoxidase Activity of Periparturient Sahiwal Cows.

Twelve apparently healthy multiparous parturient Sahiwal cows were allocated into two groups having six cows in each one. Six cows were supplemented with antioxidant mixture (mixture containing Cu, Mn, Cr, Zn, and vitamins A and D3) daily from 21 days before parturition till the day relative to calving. Whereas, remaining non-supplemented six cows were kept as the control group. Blood samples were obtained five times: at enrolment (21 days pre-partum), and again at days 0, +7, +14, and +21 relative to calving. In the non-supplemented control group, serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was significantly lower at days 0, +7, and +14 as compared to their own day -21 values. Likewise, significantly lower myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities were also exhibited by these cows at days 0 and +7. Conversely, serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) levels were significantly higher in these cows at days 0, +7, +14, and +21. However, significant alterations in TAC content among the studied sampling days were not recorded in antioxidants supplemented group. Moreover, TAC content and MPO activities of supplemented group were significantly higher at days 0, +7, and +14 when compared with that of the non-supplemented control group. However, MDA and PC contents of supplemented group were significantly lower at days 0, +7, +14, and +21 as compared to that of the non-supplemented control group. In conclusion, periparturient Sahiwal cows experience substantial oxidative and immunological dents which can be potentially ameliorated by prepartal trace mineral and vitamin supplementation.

Amelioration of altered oxidant/antioxidant balance of Indian water buffaloes with subclinical mastitis by vitamins A, D3, E, and H supplementation.

The effect of vitamins A, D3, E, and H supplementation on oxidative stress indices in Indian water buffaloes suffering from subclinical mastitis was investigated. Changes in the total oxidant capacity (TOC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), nitric oxide (NO), and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in milk were evaluated before and after the supplementation of vitamins A, D3, E, and H. The buffaloes suffering from subclinical mastitis revealed remarkable alterations in the milk oxidants/antioxidants balance shifted towards oxidative status. The buffaloes with subclinical mastitis revealed significantly (P ≤ 0.01) higher TOC, NO contents, and CAT activity, while TAC content and GSH-Px activity were significantly (P ≤ 0.01) lower in comparison with the healthy controls. However, SOD activity did not show any significant change. Supplementation of vitamins A, D3, E, and H to these animals revealed significant (P ≤ 0.01) reduction in TOC, NO, and CAT, while a significant (P ≤ 0.01) increase in TAC and GSH-Px activity was also evident. From the present study, it may be concluded that supplementation of these vitamins can help ameliorate the altered milk oxidants/antioxidants balance towards normalcy and, thus, ensue recovery from subclinical mastitis in the Indian water buffaloes.

Iridoid glycoside-based quantitative chromatographic fingerprint analysis: a rational approach for quality assessment of Indian medicinal plant Gambhari (Gmelina arborea).

A sensitive, selective and robust qualitative and quantitative densitometric high-performance thin layer chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of iridoid glycoside in the aerial part of Gambhari (Gmelina arborea). Iridoid gycoside 6-O-(2'',3''-dibenzoyl)-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol (IG) was used as a chemical marker for the standardization of G. arborea plant extracts. The separation was performed on aluminum Kieselgel 60F254 TLC plates using chloroform-methanol as mobile phase. The quantitation of IG was carried out using the densitometric reflection/absorption mode at 240 and 430 nm after post-chromatographic derivatization with vanillin-sulphuric acid reagent. A precise and accurate quantification can be performed in the linear working concentration range of 1000-5000 ng/spot with good correlation (r2=0.994). The method was validated for peak purities, precision, robustness, limit of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ), etc., as per ICH guidelines. Specificity of quantitation was confirmed using retention factor (R(f)), UV-vis spectral correlation and ESI-MS spectra of marker compound (IG) in sample track.

An evaluation of toxicity of Taxus baccata Linn. (Talispatra) in experimental animals.

A toxicological study was performed in albino mice and rat with methanolic extract and isolated alkaloid of Taxus baccata Linn. (family: Taxaceae). LD(50) study showed the higher toxic activity in stem (TXA-1,2,3) as compared with leaf (TXB-1,2,3) extract. As the extract were further fractionated into crude alkaloids and purified by chromatography the toxicity of these fractions were found to be in increasing order as follows: methanolic extract (1) < crude alkaloidal fraction (2) < purified alkaloidal fraction (3). The effects of leaf and stem extract of T. baccata were studied on certain biochemical and haematological parameters of mice and rat after 10, 20 and 30 days of exposure. Among the parameters examined, the exposed animal exhibited significant decrease in total leukocyte count (TLC), lymphocytes and cholesterol level (mg/dl), whereas increase was observed in serum transminases (SGOT, SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) of TXA-1 and TXB-1 treated groups indicating toxic conditions associated due to liver involvement.

Uptake and translocation of selenium by maize (Zea mays) from its environmentaly important forms.

Pot culture studies were conducted to examine the effect of selenite (SeO3(2-)) and selenate (SeO4(2-)) on the uptake and translocation of root absorbed selenium in maize Zea mays plants grown in sand and soil culture. Increasing selenium supplementation (0.5-6.00 microg/ml), increased the selenium retention in roots, but there was little transfer of selenium from shoot to grains. The study indicates that selenite species (less mobile) also accumulates in maize plants when supplied in solution form. Selenium does not cause any adverse effect on the maize plants (dry matter yield vs concentration, no significant correlation, p>0.05).

Study of mercury-selenium (Hg-Se) interactions and their impact on Hg uptake by the radish (Raphanus sativus) plant.

Pot culture experiments were conducted to study the effects of selenite and selenate treatment (0.5-6.0 microg/ml) on the uptake and translocation of root-absorbed mercury (Hg) in radish plants irrigated with 2 and 5 microg/ml Hg in sand and soil culture. Statistically significant reductions in mercury uptake with increasing concentrations of selenium (Se) were observed. Both forms of selenium (selenite and selenate) were equally effective in reducing the mercury burden of the plant. The observed reduction in plant uptake of mercury is explained by the formation of an HgSe insoluble complex in the soil-root environment. No significant difference (P > 0.05) in dry matter yields with the various selenium treatments was found, suggesting that no selenium toxicity or salt injury occurred in the plants.

Hepato protective effect of Liv-52 against CCl4 induced lipid peroxidation in liver of rats.

Effect of oral feeding of Liv-52, on lipid peroxidation in normal liver and damaged liver induced by CCl4 of albino rats was studied. While Liv-52 did not show any effect on normal healthy liver cells, it had a significant protective effect against damage by CCl4 as shown by significant decrease in malonaldialdehyde content.