Mahmoud Alagawany

Beneficial impacts of thymol essential oil on health and production of animals, fish and poultry: a review

Abstract The thymol is an herbal food additive used to improve performance indices, feed utilization, immune system, and preventing from infectious diseases. Feeding animal, fish and poultry with diets supplemented with medicinal plants containing effective compounds and natural antioxidants in thymol demonstrated valuable potential of thymol to enhance the productive and reproductive performances, nutrient bioavailability, immunity and general health of livestock as well as lowering the problems of different animal diseases, side effects of chemical drugs, syntactic materials and cancer. These properties may be attributed to thymol’s capability to work as antispasmodic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, anticancer and anti-inflammatory agent by suppressing harmful compounds/free radicals from interacting with cellular biological compounds, ability to alter the gut microbiota, and increasing digestion, absorption and metabolism of nutrients. This review illustrates the multiple beneficial applications and various aspects of thymol including its chemical structure and physical proprieties, metabolism and excretion, mechanisms of action, natural sources and practical applications in animal, fish and poultry nutrition for increasing production, immunity and safeguarding health.

In vitro antioxidant activities of resveratrol, cinnamaldehyde and their synergistic effect against cyadox-induced cytotoxicity in rabbit erythrocytes

Abstract This study was conducted to explore the potential benefits of using cinnamaldehyde (CIN), resveratrol (RES) separately or in combination on cyadox (CYA)-induced alterations in isolated rabbit erythrocytes. Erythrocytes suspensions were partitioned into 7 groups (5 replicates/group), 1st kept as control treated with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) with dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO); 2nd group was subjected to CYA (40 μg/ml), 3rd group was incubated with CIN (40 μM), 4th group was subjected to RES (40 μM), 5th group was co-exposed to CYA (40 μg/ml) and CIN (40 μM), 6th group was co exposed to CYA (40 μg/ml) and RES (40 μM), and 7th group was exposed to CYA in combination with both CIN and RES at the same indicated concentrations. The reaction mixtures of different groups were incubated at 37 °C for 3 h with gentle shaking every 15 minutes. Our results revealed that exposure to CYA caused a significant decrease (linear and quadratic) in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and the contents of reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione transferase (GST). Incubation of erythrocytes with CYA increased GSSG content, GSSG/GSH ratio, malonaldehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PrC) concentrations while it decreased the total protein (TP). CYA also lead to hemolysis and energy depletion of erythrocytes beside activation of caspase cascades, suggesting the pro-oxidant effect CYA that could be implicated in eryptosis. CIN and RES were able to inverse these hazardous effects of CYA. However, CIN was more effective than RES, their combination showed a positive synergistic effect in protecting the cells against oxidative injury caused by CYA.

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) and l-theanine: Medicinal values and beneficial applications in humans—A comprehensive review

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is a famous herb, and its extract has been extensively used in traditional Chinese medicinal system. In this context, several studies have revealed its health benefits and medicinal potentialities for several ailments. With ever increasing scientific knowledge, search for safer, potential and novel type of health-related supplements quest, scientists are re-directing their research interests to explore natural resources i.e. medicinal herbs/plant derived compounds. Green tea consumption has gained a special attention and popularity in the modern era of changing lifestyle. The present review is aimed to extend the current knowledge by highlighting the importance and beneficial applications of green tea in humans for safeguarding various health issues. Herein, we have extensively reviewed, analyzed, and compiled salient information on green tea from the authentic published literature available in PubMed and other scientific databases. Scientific literature evidenced that owing to the bioactive constituents including caffeine, l-theanine, polyphenols/flavonoids and other potent molecules, green tea has many pharmacological and physiological functions. It possesses multi-beneficial applications in treating various disorders of humans. This review also provides in-depth insights on the medicinal values of green tea which will be useful for researchers, medical professionals, veterinarians, nutritionists, pharmacists and pharmaceutical industry. Future research emphasis and promotional avenues are needed to explore its potential therapeutic applications for designing appropriate pharmaceuticals, complementary medicines, and effective drugs as well as popularize and propagate its multidimensional health benefits.

Effect of low-protein diets with crystalline amino acid supplementation on egg production, blood parameters and nitrogen balance in laying Japanese quails

A total of 120 Japanese quails were randomly distributed into six dietary groups to evaluate the effect of low-crude protein (CP) diet supplemented with crystalline amino acids on productive and reproductive performance, blood parameters and nitrogen (N) balance. Treatments consisted of six different diets: a control diet (20% CP), a low-CP (16%) diet supplemented with threonine (Thr), valine (Val) and tryptophan (Trp), three low-CP diets supplemented with individual Thr, Val or Trp, and a low-CP diet supplemented with all aforementioned amino acids. None of the growth traits examined were influenced either by dietary treatments or by egg production (P > 0.05). The highest fertility percentages (88.2%) were observed in quails fed the low-CP diet without crystalline amino acids supplementation followed by low-CP diet supplemented with Val (86.2%), whereas the highest hatchability (from fertile eggs) percentage was observed in quails fed low-CP diet plus Trp. Egg shell percentages from quails fed the control diet were higher (P < 0.05) compared to other dietary treatments during the whole feeding period. Yolk percentage was decreased (P < 0.01) with the low-CP diet supplemented with amino acids. Blood protein and ammonia levels were decreased (P < 0.05) by reducing the dietary CP level or by supplementing amino acids to the low-CP diet. Reducing the CP level in the diet with amino acids supplementation in laying quails decreased the daily N excretion (P < 0.05). It is concluded that reducing the CP level in a diet supplemented with crystalline amino acids supports reproductive performance in quails, and is a valuable strategy for decreasing feeding cost and mitigating ammonia emission.

14. Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Garlic (Allium Sativum) and Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Blood Profile and Oxidative Status in Growing Rabbits

Abstract This study was performed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with garlic and turmeric powder as growth promoter agents on performance, carcass traits, serum biochemistry, and antioxidant enzyme activities of growing rabbits. A total of 112 New Zealand White rabbits (NZW) at 5 weeks of age were randomly assigned to seven treatments with four replicates. The dietary treatments consisted of 7 groups as follows; the basal diet as control, phytogenic additives groups were supplemented with 2, 4, and 6 g/kg garlic or turmeric powder added to the basal diet. There were no linear and quadratic differences (P<0.05) in growth performance after garlic or turmeric supplementation at all studied ages. Compared with the control group, supplementation of diets with garlic or turmeric linearly and quadratically elevated immunity biomarkers such as total protein (TP), albumin (AL) and immunoglobulin (IgG) levels and decreased (linearly and quadratically, P<0.05) aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT ), triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels in rabbit serum. However, TP, AL, globulin (GL), IgG and IgM levels were linearly and quadratically enhanced with increasing turmeric levels versus the control diet. Hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT ) and glutathione peroxidase GSH-Px activities as well as reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations were linearly and quadratically (P<0.05) improved in garlic or turmeric additives fed groups. While MDA concentration was statistically (linearly, P= 0.022) reduced in comparison with the control group. It could be concluded that garlic or turmeric supplementation (2, 4 and 6 g/kg) did not linearly and quadratically affect growth performance but improved the immunity responses and lowered the lipid profile in blood and lipid peroxidation in liver and increased hepatic antioxidant activity in treated rabbits.

Quercetin: Nutritional and beneficial effects in poultry

Flavonoids are natural compounds derived from fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants. These compounds have been reported to possess various biological actions including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, growth promoter, antiviral, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, antiallergic, anticarcinogenic, antithrombotic and immunomodulator activities in various animals and poultry species. Quercetin is found in various foods such as vegetables, tea, fruits, wine apples and onions and is known to exert positive effects on poultry production and health. Since, quercetin enhances the immune system by stimulating lymphocytes, macrophages and IgY antibody production and improving natural killer cell activity, lymphoid organs (spleen, thymus and bursa) weights as well as activating the cytokines profile, its supplementation can lead to a state of immune alertness and a lower incidence of infections and diseases. In addition, it affects the dendritic cells (DCs) that play an important role in adaptive and innate immunity. Quercetin revokes the ability of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated dendritic cells to induce specific T cell activation and reduce the cytotoxicity in both in vivo and in vitro studies, suggesting quercetin works as an immunosuppressive agent. As immune function is crucial for poultry productivity and prosperity, this review elucidates the potential nutritional effects and health benefits of quercetin on poultry as a replacer for traditional immune boosters and growth promoters. It includes the antiviral activity of quercetin against influenza A virus, rhinovirus (caused common cold), adenovirus (source of necrotic pancreatitis in broilers) and suggests its role in counteracting heavy metal toxicity. However, further studies on molecular basis are required to understand mode of action, beneficial applications as a natural feed additive, growth promoter and immune enhancer, beside the side effects of this compound in poultry.

Erythrocytes as a biological model for screening of xenobiotics toxicity

Erythrocytes are the main cells in circulation. They are devoid of internal membrane structures and easy to be isolated and handled providing a good model for different assays. Red blood cells (RBCs) plasma membrane is a multi-component structure that keeps the cell morphology, elasticity, flexibility and deformability. Alteration of membrane structure upon exposure to xenobiotics could induce various cellular abnormalities and releasing of intracellular components. Therefore the morphological changes and extracellular release of haemoglobin [hemolysis] and increased content of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) [as signs of membrane stability] could be used to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of various molecules. The nucleated RBCs from birds, fish and amphibians can be used to evaluate genotoxicity of different xenobiotics using comet, DNA fragmentation and micronucleus assays. The RBCs could undergo programmed cell death (eryptosis) in response to injury providing a useful model to analyze some mechanisms of toxicity that could be implicated in apoptosis of nucleated cells. Erythrocytes are vulnerable to peroxidation making it a good biological membrane model for analyzing the oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation of various xenobiotics. The RBCs contain a large number of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. The changes of the RBCs antioxidant capacity could reflect the capability of xenobiotics to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in oxidative damage of tissue. These criteria make RBCs a valuable in vitro model to evaluate the cytotoxicity of different natural or synthetic and organic or inorganic molecules by cellular damage measures.

Heat stress: effects on productive and reproductive performance of quail

Animals experiencing thermal stress tend to reduce heat production by limiting feed intake, with subsequent detrimental impacts on productive performance and health status. Heat stress as an environmental stressor has been an important concern among researchers, poultry producers and scientists for many decades, especially in tropical (wet and hot round the year) and arid (dry and hot round the year) regions of the world. It has been implicated in adverse marked impacts on productive and reproductive performance of quail. Several studies have investigated the negative impacts of heat stress on quail production and it has been shown that heat stress adversely affects both productivity and welfare of birds. The deleterious impacts of heat stress on different quail breeds such as Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus), scaled quail (Callipepla californica) and Gambels quail (Colinus gambelii) range from decreased body weight (7.7 to 13.2%), growth rate (11.0 to 14.5%), feed intake (6.1 to 21.6%), feed efficiency (4.3 to 8.6%), egg production (6.6 to 23.3%) and egg mass. Furthermore, the detrimental effects of heat stress on reproductive performance and welfare of quail have recently attracted awareness. However, further studies are required to increase the levels of information into basic mechanisms associated with the consequences of heat stress on quail. This review covers the published evidence available on the negative role of heat stress on growth performance, feed utilisation, egg production and mass, meat and egg quality and carcass traits as well as reproductive performance of quail.

Beneficial health applications and medicinal values of Pedicularis plants: A review

Pedicularis plants (Orobanchaceae), popularly known as lousewort, are found in Asia, Europe, and North America, and have been used in Sowa-Rigpa, the Himalayan art of healing and a traditional system of medicine for treating various ailments in humans. A comprehensive compilation on this valuable medicinal plant is not available, however. The present extensive review provides insight into the salient medicinal properties of Pedicularis plants with respect to various health issues and diseases. Our previous studies on Pedicularis plants from the Changthang region of Ladakh (India) and research advances leading to new developments in this field have prompted this review. The information presented here has been compiled and analyzed from authenticated published resources available on Medline, Pubmed, Pubmed Central, Science Direct, and other scientific databases. The Pedicularis genus consists of approximately 600 species (83 of which are found in India), with commonly reported species being Pedicularis longiflora Rudolph, P. bicornuta Klotzsch, P. oederi Vahl, P. cheilanthifolia, and P. pectinata. The major phytoconstituents of the Pedicularis sp. are phenols, phenylethanoids, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, iridoids, lignans, and alkaloids, among others. The existing literature highlights that these compounds possess antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, antitumor, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, muscle-relaxing, antifatigue, diuretic, antipyretic, antithrombus, antihemolysis, and DNA-repairing properties. This medicinal herb is used in the treatment of leucorrhoea, fevers, sterility, rheumatism, general debility, collapse, and urinary problems, and for revitalizing the blood circulation, improving digestion, and maintaining vitality. This review emphasizes the various medicinal aspects of Pedicularis sp. plants containing a variety of phytoconstituents. Besides phenols, terpenoids, flavonoids, lignans, tannins, iridoid, and phenylpropanoid glycosides are among the active constituents responsible for multiple health effects. However, further extensive research is required to characterize the various phytoconstituents of Pedicularis to explore their modes of action at a molecular level and identify other beneficial applications that can exploit the tremendous medicinal potential of this important herb.

Medicinal and Therapeutic Potential of Herbs and Plant Metabolites / Extracts Countering Viral Pathogens - Current Knowledge and Future Prospects

BACKGROUND Recently, there has been a remarkable progress in the field of antiviral herbal therapy owing to increasing concerns about the development of drug resistance and limited advances in the field of antiviral drug discovery. In almost all countries, medicinal plants have been used widely throughout history for the treatment of diseases and infections as traditional healing remedies due to their broad therapeutic spectrum and minimal or no side effects. As synthetic antiviral drugs are not available against most of the viral agents, hence all possible efforts have been focused on the search for new drugs and complementary/alternative medicines from different herbal formulations. METHODS We have retrieved the related information from the online published resources (Medline, PubMed, Pub- Med Central, Science Direct and other scientific databases); which were further analyzed and compiled. RESULTS Medicinal plants contain extractable biochemical and bioactive compounds, which can target certain viruses or can cure or prevent several viral diseases and infections. Despite their long history of use, the research and scientific evidences regarding the use of medicinal plants and natural products as prophylactics, therapeutics, and their health multiple beneficial applications have only gained momentum in past few decades. Many scientific studies have been undertaken, which range from the separation of active substances to the comprehension of the therapeutic mechanisms of antiviral herbs, their potent applications in the neutralization of viral pathogens and clinical trials. Consequently, hundreds of herbs and plant metabolites have been screened, identified, and tested for their antiviral activities; fortunately, some have shown significant medicinal activity in the amelioration or prevention of various viral diseases in both preclinical and clinical studies. CONCLUSION This review addresses the scientific significance of various herbal formulations of different medicinal plants and their extracts, which have shown promise or been proven effective for the treatment of diseases caused by various viral pathogens, including emerging and re-emerging viruses that infect humans, animals, poultry and fish.