Effect of aqueous extract from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi roots on CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses during experimental infection with Trichinella spiralis in mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi roots (SB) on blood parameters and immune response during an experimental trichinellosis. A total of 60 mice infected with 200 Trichinella spiralis larvae were assigned into two groups. One of them served as a control and the second received SB extract orally from day 5 before infection to day 28 after infection (dpi). Blood was sampled at 7, 14, 21 dpi. Lymphocytes obtained from the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) at 7, 14, 21, and 28 dpi were counted, CD4+ and CD8+ subpopulations were analyzed by flow cytometry, and lymphocyte proliferation was estimated with colorimetric (MTT) assay. The intensity of intestinal and muscle invasion was also studied. SB caused a remarkable elevation of banded neutrophils in the blood at 7 dpi. SB increased ConA-stimulated splenocyte proliferation and CD4+ and CD8+ splenocyte subsets at 14 and 21 dpi, whereas MLN lymphocyte subset stimulation involved only CD4+ at 14 dpi. After administration of SB a downward trend in the number of T. spiralis larvae in the muscle was observed. These results suggest that Scutellaria baicalensis root extract stimulates murine cellular immune response during intestinal phase of T. spiralis infection.

Trichinella spiralis: the influence of short chain fatty acids on the proliferation of lymphocytes, the goblet cell count and apoptosis in the mouse intestine.

This study was carried out to determine the influence of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) on spleen and mesenteric lymph node lymphocyte proliferation, goblet cells and apoptosis in the mouse small intestine during invasion by Trichinella spiralis. BALB/c mice were infected with 250 larvae of T. spiralis. An SCFA water solution containing acetic, propionic and butyric acids (30:15:20 mM) was administered orally starting 5 days before infection and ending 20 days post infection (dpi). Fragments of the jejunum were collected by dissection 7 and 10 dpi, and were examined for apoptotic cells in the lamina propria of the intestinal mucosa, and for goblet cells. The proliferation index of the cultured spleen and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes with MTT test was also determined. The orally administered SCFA solution decreased the proliferation of mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes in the mice infected with T. spiralis at both examination times, but did not influence the proliferative activity of the spleen cells. Seven dpi, both in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes, the highest proliferation index of concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated lymphocytes was found in the group of uninfected animals receiving SCFA animals. This tendency could still be seen 10 dpi in the mesenteric lymph nodes but not in the spleen, where the proliferation index in this group had significantly decreased. In vitro studies revealed, that butyric and propionic acids added to the cell cultures suppressed the proliferation of Con A-stimulated mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen lymphocytes taken from uninfected and T. spiralis-infected mice. Acetic acid stimulated proliferation of splenocytes taken from uninfected mice but did not affect lymphocyte proliferation in mesenteric lymph nodes from uninfected or infected mice. Orally administered SCFA increased the number of goblet cells found in the epithelium of the jejunum 7 dpi, but this number had decreased 10 dpi. The number of apoptotic cells in the lamina propria of the intestinal mucosa of animals infected with the T. spiralis and receiving SCFA was also lower, particularly 10 dpi. The above results show that SCFA can participate in the immune response during the course of trichinellosis in mice.

The effect of Linola and W92/72 transgenic flax seeds on the rabbit caecal fermentation--in vitro study.

The effect of W92/72 transgenic flax seeds taken from a variety of Linola on the production of SCFA, ammonia and methane by bacteria inhabiting rabbit caecum was studied. The in vitro method was used where caecal contents from rabbits was incubated with W92/72 transgenic or Linola flax seeds, or without any additives (control samples). The total concentration of SCFA was higher in samples with the addition of flax seeds than in the control samples. The increase in concentrations of acetic, propionic and butyric acids was the highest in samples with Linola seeds added. A higher percentage of propionic and butyric acids was observed in the contents incubated with addition of flax seeds as compared to the control samples. This increase was the result of a percentage decrease in acetic acid. No differences were observed in the concentration of ammonia between fermented samples. Moreover, the addition of flax seeds resulted in slight decrease of pH in incubated samples. In gas samples, the methane level was higher in samples with flax seeds added, although the highest level was found in samples with transgenic seeds. In addition, gas pressure was significantly higher in samples with flax seeds added as compared to control samples, and this may indicate a higher intensity of microbiological fermentation processes. These studies suggest that neither Linola nor W92/72 flax seeds have any unfavorable effect on the caecal microflora activity of rabbits. A beneficial influence of flax seeds on the microbiological fermentation process in rabbit caecum was observed, based on an increase in percentage ratio of propionic acid in samples with flax seeds added.

Effect of dietary fish oil on milk yield, fatty acids content and serum metabolic profile in dairy cows.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of dietary unprotected fish oil on milk yield, fatty acids content and serum metabolic profile in dairy cows. Forty lactating Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were assigned to two groups. The cows were fed a control basal diet (C group), or a basal diet containing 2% addition of fish oil on mineral carrier (FOM group) during a 8-week period. Supplementing FOM diet of dairy cows had no significant effect on milk fat, milk protein, milk lactose concentration and somatic cells count, but increased the milk yield (36.5 kg/d), (p < 0.05) compared with the control cows (34.28 kg/d). We observed an increase (p < 0.05) in body condition scoring between C and FOM groups. Additionally, higher levels of non-esterified fatty acids and ß-hydroxybutyrate acid were noticed in FOM group after 8 weeks of the experiment; however, these serum parameters still were in the reference range. Concentration of insulin was higher (30.40 µU/ml; p < 0.01) in the FOM group compared with the control group (14.03 µU/ml). In the FOM group, significant increase (p < 0.01) in long-chain fatty acids, mainly cis-9, trans-11 CLA and n-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) was observed. The obtained results demonstrated that addition of fish oil to cows' diet could profitably modify the fatty acids in cow's milk.

Effects of a skullcap root supplement on haematology, serum parameters and antioxidant enzymes in rabbits on a high-cholesterol diet.

We studied the effects of Scutellaria baicalensis root on blood parameters and antioxidant enzyme activities in rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet. Thirty-two New Zealand White rabbits were divided into four groups of eight animals each. They were fed a standard diet (C group), a diet with a 1% pure cholesterol supplement (CH group), a diet with a 1% pure cholesterol supplement and a 9% skullcap root supplement (CH+SR group), or a diet with a 9% skullcap root supplement (SR group). After 6 weeks, the rabbits fed the high-cholesterol diet had significantly decreased RBC and Hb levels and significantly increased MCV, MCH and Fe levels (p≤ 0.05). The skullcap root supplement had no adverse effects on the haematological parameters. The values for RBC, Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH and MCHC were similar in the skullcap root-treated and control rabbits. We also observed a remarkable elevation in the serum TC, LDL and TG levels at the end of the 6-week period. The rabbits fed the cholesterol diet showed decreased activity of the erythrocyte GSH-Px compared with the rabbits fed the basal diet. The GSH-Px activity was significantly higher in the rabbits fed the CH+SR diet than in those on the CH diet. The erythrocyte SOD activity was also significantly decreased in the rabbits on the CH diet. However, the CH+SR group rabbits showed significantly enhanced erythrocyte SOD activity. The SOD level in the CH+SR rabbits was 34.91 U/ml, which was a 23% increase (p≤ 0.05) in relation to the results for the CH group and only 15% diminished in relation to the control group. These results suggest that the dietary supplementation of skullcap root may improve rabbit antioxidant systems and protect against the risks from a high-cholesterol diet.

Changes in selected serum parameters of broiler chicken fed supplemental chromium.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chromium (Cr) from Cr yeast on the growth performance and total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, total protein and Cr concentration in the serum of broiler chicken. The birds were fed a control diet or a control diet supplemented with Cr at a level of 300, 500 microg/kg Cr. The supplementation of 500 mug/kg Cr increased body weight, weight gain and feed efficiency (p < 0.05). In addition, supplementation with Cr decreased the serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (p < 0.05), triglycerides (p < 0.05) and glucose (p < 0.05) concentrations whereas serum HDL cholesterol increased. Serum total protein and serum Cr concentration slightly but not significantly increased in both Cr groups. The study suggest that Cr supplementation particularly at 500 microg/kg Cr from Cr yeast can influence on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of broiler chicken and can be used as additives in animal diet but it still needs more investigations.