Genetic diversity of donkey populations from the putative centers of domestication.

Donkey domestication drastically changed ancient transport systems in Africa and Asia, enabling overland circulation of people and goods and influencing the organization of early cities and pastoral societies. Genetic studies based on mtDNA have pointed to the African wild ass as the most probable ancestor of the domestic donkey, but questions regarding its center of origin remain unanswered. Endeavoring to pinpoint the geographical origin of domestic donkey, we assessed levels and patterns of genetic diversity at 15 microsatellite loci from eight populations, representing its three hypothesized centers of origin: northeast Africa, the Near East and the Arabian Peninsula. Additionally, we compared the donkey genotypes with those from their wild relative, the African wild ass (Equus africanus somaliensis) to visualize patterns of differentiation among wild and domestic individuals. Obtained results revealed limited variation in levels of unbiased expected heterozygosity across populations in studied geographic regions (ranging from 0.637 in northeast Africa to 0.679 in the Near East). Both allelic richness (Ar) and private allelic richness presented considerably higher values in northeast Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula. By looking at variation at the country level, for each region, we were able to identify Sudan and Yemen as the countries possessing higher allelic richness and, cumulatively, Yemen also presented higher values for private allelic richness. Our results support previously proposed northeast Africa as a putative center of origin, but the high levels of unique diversity in Yemen opens the possibility of considering this region as yet another center of origin for this species.

The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of prosopis chilenses in rats.

BACKGROUND: Prosopis chilensis is used locally in Sudan for inflammatory conditions of joints; however, literature lacks scientific evidence for anti-inflammatory effect of this plant. AIMS: To evaluate anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of prosopis chilenses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Edema inhibition percent (EI %) and hot plate method were used to evaluate anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Prosopis chilenses in Wistar albino rats. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Prosopis chilenses were compared to indomethacin and acetylsalicylic acid respectively. RESULTS: Ethanolic extract of prosopis chilensis at a dose of 200 and 100mg/kg body weight achieved peak EI% (EI% = 96.1%) and (EI% = 94.4%) three and four hours after oral dosing respectively. The maximum EI% for indomethacin was 97.0% and was recorded after 4 hours following oral administration of the drug at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight. Prosopis chilensis extracts at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight significantly increased the rats' response time to hot plate compared to acetylsalicylic acid at a dose rate of 100mg/kg body weight (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The current results suggest potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of prosopis chilenses. Relevance of these effects to prosopis chilenses phy-to-constituents was discussed.

Therapeutic utility, constituents and toxicity of some medicinal plants: a review.

Man has always made use of flora to alleviate suffering and disease. This review presents information on the various therapeutic applications of plants used in traditional medicine, their active principles and observed side effects in animals and human beings. We also focus on the gaps in our knowledge about plant toxicoses that require scientific investigations and offer some logical conclusions.

Response of Bovans chicks to low dietary levels of Linum usitatissimum seeds.

The effect on 7-d-old Bovans chicks of 10 or 2% Linum usitatissimum seed in their basal diet for 6 w was determined. The feeding of either Linum-seed diet caused a significant increase in growth rate in spite of the development of centrilobular hepatocyte fatty vacuolation and an inflammatory cell response in the intestinal lamina propria and renal cortex. These effects were correlated with alterations in some hepatorenal function and hematology parameters.

An estimation of Citrullus colocynthis toxicity for chicks.

Citrullus colocynthis seed was fed at 2% and 10% of the basal diet to 7-d-old Bovans-type chicks for 6 w. Average body weights and efficiency of feed utilization were markedly depressed in the chicks on 10% Citrullus feed, and the serum activities of LDH, AST and CK and concentrations of total lipid and zinc were significantly increased. The concentration of serum total iron binding capacity was particularly reduced in chicks on 2% Citrullus feed. The concentrations of other serum and blood constituents and of hepatic copper, manganese and zinc were not significantly changes. Lesions seen in the intestines, livers, kidneys and other tissues were fully reversed 4 w after removal from the experimental diet.