Efficacy of dietary supplements of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice) and maduramicin alone or in combination with Eimeria tenella infected chicks: A clinical study and molecular docking.

Background: Coccidiosis is one of the most economically significant poultry diseases worldwide, caused by the pathogenic Eimeria species, and is characterized by decreased weight gain (WG) and failure to grow due to malabsorption, low feed conversion rate, bloody diarrhea, and dehydration. Aim: This study investigated the effectiveness of licorice root extract (LRE) in controlling cecal coccidiosis to determine whether its combination with maduramicin could help alleviate the pathological, biochemical, and histopathological effects of cecal coccidiosis in Sasso broiler chicks. Methods: A total of 125 one-day-old Sasso broiler chicks were categorized into five equal groups (n = 25), each consisting of five replicates (n = 5 per replicate). G1-LE received a basal diet supplemented with LRE (3 g/kg); G2-ME received a basal diet containing maduramycin (0.5 g/kg); and G3-LME received a basal diet containing LRE and maduramicin together with the same rates. G4-E (positive control) and G5-N (negative control) received no additives in their feed. Birds in groups (G1-4) were challenged on day 14 of the experiment by orally intercropping a 1 ml suspension of Eimeria tenella sporulated oocysts. Results: Groups of birds fed on LRE and maduramicin separately or together appeared to be in good condition where no deaths or clinical abnormalities were observed, based on the analysis of clinicopathological examination. Compared with the G4-E positive control, the dropping scoring and oocyst shedding of groups G1-LE, G2-ME, and G3-LME along the 10th-day post-challenge (dpc), as well as macroscopic and microscopic lesions scoring at the 7th dpc, was considerably lower. The dual supplementation use of LRE and maduramicin in G3-LME's reduced the harmful effects of coccidian, which appeared only as a mononuclear cellular infiltration and a small number of oocysts invading the intestinal glands. Molecular docking revealed that LRE and maduramicin interacted with E. tenella DNA polymerase, E. tenella apical membrane antigen 1, and microneme protein binding sites resulting in reduced E. tenella replication and invasion. Conclusion: The inclusion of LRE and maduramicin, individually or in combination, in the diet might effectively mitigate the detrimental effects of coccidiosis.

Bioefficacy of dietary inclusion of Nannochloropsis oculata on Eimeria spp. challenged chicks: clinical approaches, meat quality, and molecular docking.

Although anticoccidial drugs have been used to treat avian coccidiosis for nearly a century, resistance, bird harm, and food residues have caused health concerns. Thus, Nannochloropsis oculata was investigated as a possible coccidiosis treatment for broilers. A total of 150 1-day-old male Cobb broiler chicks were treated as follows: G1-Ng: fed a basal diet; G2-Ps: challenged with Eimeria spp. oocysts and fed basal diet; G3-Clo: challenged and fed basal diet with clopidol; G4-NOa: challenged and fed 0.1% N. oculata in diet, and G5-NOb: challenged and fed 0.2% N. oculata. Compared to G2-Ps, N. oculata in the diet significantly (P < 0.05) decreased dropping scores, lesion scores, and oocyst shedding. Without affecting breast meat colour metrics, N. oculata improved meat quality characters. At 28 days of age, birds received 0.2% N. oculata had significantly (P < 0.05) higher serum levels of MDA, T-SOD, HDL, and LDL cholesterol compared to G2-Ps. Serum AST, ALT, and urea levels were all decreased when N. oculata (0.2%) was used as opposed to G2-Ps. Histopathological alterations and the number of developmental and degenerative stages of Eimeria spp. in the intestinal epithelium were dramatically reduced by 0.2% N. oculata compared to G2-Ps. Molecular docking revealed a higher binding affinity of N. oculata for E. tenella aldolase, EtAMA1, and EtMIC3, which hindered glucose metabolism, host cell adhesion, and invasion of Eimeria. Finally, N. oculata (0.2%) can be used in broiler diets to mitigate the deleterious effects of coccidiosis.

Novel acaricidal and growth-regulating activity of Aloe vera and Rheum rhabarbarum extracts and their oil/water nanoemulsions against the camel tick, Hyalomma dromedarii.

Hyalomma dromedarii is an important tick species infesting livestock. This work evaluated the novel adulticidal, insect growth-regulating, and enzymatic efficacy of ethanol plant extracts of Aloe vera and Rheum rhabarbarum and their nanoemulsions against males and engorged females of the camel tick, H. dromedarii. The physicochemical properties of nanoemulsions were evaluated. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analyses indicated that the extracts contained polyphenols and flavonoids, which could enhance their acaricidal effect. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) of the nanoemulsions of A. vera and R. rhabarbarum were 196.7 and 291 nm, whereas their zeta potentials were - 29.1 and - 53.1 mV, respectively. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) indicated that nanoemulsions showed a regular spherical shape (less than 100 nm). Fifteen days post-treatment (PT) with 25%, the mortality% of A. vera and R. rhabarbarum were 88.5 and 96.2%, respectively. Five days PT, the median lethal concentration values of A. vera, R. rhabarbarum, and their nanoemulsions were 7.8, 7.1, 2.8, and 1.02%, respectively, and their toxicity indices were 91.02, 100, 36.4, and 100%, respectively. Their median lethal time values PT with 3.5% were 6.09, 5.09, 1.75, and 1.34 days, respectively. Nanoemulsions enhanced the efficacy of the crude extract 1-7 folds, 5 days PT, and accelerated their speed of killing ticks 2-4 times. The total protein and carbohydrates, Acetylcholinesterase, Alpha esterase, and Amylase were affected PT. The reproductive potential of engorged females was adversely impacted. In conclusion, the novel A. vera and R. rhabarbarum extracts were promising acaricides, and their nanoformulations enhanced their efficacies.

Physiochemical, kinetic and thermodynamic studies on Aspergillus wewitschiae MN056175 inulinase with extraction of prebiotic and antioxidant Cynara scolymus leaves fructo-oligosaccharides.

Utilization of agricultural wastes as cheap natural resources for production of bioactive products is currently attracting global attention. For this purpose, this study focused on isolation of Aspergillus wewitschiae MN056175 as promising producer of inulinase, then investigating physiochemical, kinetics and thermodynamics of the obtained inulinase, and its ability to extract bioactive fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) from Cynara scolymus leaves (artichoke leaves, AL). A. wewitschiae MN056175 inulinase gave the maximum activity at temperature 60 °C and inulin concentration 1%. The kinetics including Km and Vmax were determined to be 105.26 mg·ml-1 and 83.33 µmol·ml-1·min-1, respectively. The thermodynamics including, Ea (activation energy) and Ed (activation energy for denaturation) were determined to be 21.82 and 73.21 kJ·mol-1, Kd, T1/2, D-value, ΔH°, ΔG° and ΔS° at 40, 50 and 60 °C which indicated the stability of A. wewitschiae MN056175 inulinase. Moreover, this inulinase was capable of hydrolyzing Cynara scolymus leaves into reducing sugar and 15 FOS with different DP, total carbohydrate, and protein content under different conditions designed by central composite design (CCD). The 15 AL FOS showed different high antioxidant and prebiotic activities. Central FOS with probiotic bacteria exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against tested gram positive bacteria in a way higher than those recorded against gram negative bacteria.