Effect of dietary resveratrol in ameliorating aflatoxin B1-induced changes in broiler birds

Beneficial effects of advanced chelate technology-based 7-minerals in aflatoxin-B1 challenged broilers: toxin residue reduction, serum biochemical improvement and modulation of the mRNA expression of NF-kB and Nrf2, and genes within their pathways

BACKGROUND

Organic trace minerals (TM) offer superior nutritional benefits because of their stable structure, making their addition to broiler diets potentially beneficial during challenging periods such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination. The present study evaluated the impacts of different replacement levels of inorganic TM (ITM) with advanced chelate technology-based TM (ACTM) on the growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, antioxidant indicators, and some inflammatory and immune parameters of broilers fed diets contaminated with AFB1. A 42-day experiment involved randomly assigning 1-day-old broiler chickens (n = 480) to one of five dietary treatments, each with six replicates. The treatments were as follows: (1) NC: basal diet without AFB1 and recommended ITM levels; (2) PC: basal diet with 0.5 mg kg-1 AFB1 and recommended ITM levels; (3) TB: PC diet +1 g kg-1 toxin binder; (4) ACTM50: replacement of ITM with 50% ACTM in the PC diet; and (5) ACTM100: replacement of ITM with 100% ACTM in the PC diet.

RESULTS

Compared with PC treatment, ACTM100 treatment resulted in increased (P < 0.05) body weight gain, serum zinc and glutathione concentrations, immunoglobulin Y level, antioxidant enzyme activities, and hepatic gene expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, glutathione peroxidase-1, superoxide dismutase-1 and transforming growth factor beta 1. The ACTM100 group also exhibited decreased AFB1 residue in the liver and kidney, serum alanine transaminase activity and malondialdehyde concentration, and hepatic gene expression levels of nuclear factor-kappa B and interferon-gamma (P < 0.05). These values were comparable to those recorded in the TB and NC treatments.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, completely replacing ITM with ACTM can benefit the metabolism and mitigate AFB1-induced immunotoxicity and oxidative damage in chickens by altering the mRNA expression of nuclear factor-kappa B and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, and some genes downstream their signaling pathways. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Phytogenic feed additives as natural antibiotic alternatives in animal health and production: A review of the literature of the last decade

The use of antibiotics in animal production raises great public safety concerns; therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of substitutes for antibiotics. In recent decades, plant-derived feed additives have been widely investigated as antibiotic alternatives for use in animal health and production because they exert multiple biological functions and are less likely to induce resistance development. This review summarizes the research history and classification of phytogenic feed additives and their main functions, potential modes of action, influencing factors, and potential negative effects. Further, we highlight the challenges in developing sustainable, safe, and affordable plant-derived antibiotic alternatives for use in livestock production.

Efficacy of powdered alfalfa leaves to ameliorate the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 in turkey poults

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of an adsorbent material based on powdered alfalfa leaves added in the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-contaminated diet of turkey poults on production parameters, blood cell count, serum biochemistry, liver enzymes, and liver histology. For this purpose, three hundred and fifty female Nicholas-700 poults were randomly assigned into five treatments: (1) Control, AFB1-free diet; (2) AF, diet contaminated with 250 ng AFB1/g; (3) Alfalfa, AFB1-free diet + 0.5% (w/w) adsorbent; (4) AF+alfalfa, diet contaminated with 250 ng AFB1/g + 0.5% (w/w) adsorbent, and (5) AF+ yeast cell wall (YCW), diet contaminated with 250 ng AFB1/g + 0.5% (w/w) of yeast cell wall (a commercial mycotoxin binder used as reference material). The in vivo efficacy of powdered alfalfa leaves was assessed during a 28-day period. In general, the addition of powdered alfalfa leaves in the AFB1-free diet gave the best performance results (body weight, body weight gain, and feed intake) and improved the values of total protein, glucose, calcium, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen. Moreover, the addition of powdered alfalfa leaves in the AFB1-contaminated diet enhanced body weight and body weight gain and significantly reduced the feed intake, compared to the AF and AF+YCW groups. Additionally, significant alterations in serum parameters were observed in poults intoxicated with the AFB1, compared to the Control group. Furthermore, typical histopathological lesions were observed in the liver of the AF group, which were significantly ameliorated with the addition of powdered alfalfa leaves. Conclusively, these results pointed out that low inclusion of powdered alfalfa leaves in the contaminated feed counteracted the adverse effects of AFB1 in turkey poults.

Therapeutic Effect of Natural Products and Dietary Supplements on Aflatoxin-Induced Nephropathy

Aflatoxins are harmful natural contaminants found in foods and are known to be hepatotoxic. However, recent studies have linked chronic consumption of aflatoxins to nephrotoxicity in both animals and humans. Here, we conducted a systematic review of active compounds, crude extracts, herbal formulations, and probiotics against aflatoxin-induced renal dysfunction, highlighting their mechanisms of action in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The natural products and dietary supplements discussed in this study alleviated aflatoxin-induced renal oxidative stress, inflammation, tissue damage, and markers of renal function, mostly in animal models. Therefore, the information provided in this review may improve the management of kidney disease associated with aflatoxin exposure and potentially aid in animal feed supplementation. However, future research is warranted to translate the outcomes of this study into clinical use in kidney patients.

Protective effects of feed additives on broiler chickens exposed to aflatoxins-contaminated feed: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aflatoxin contamination in feed is a common problem in broiler chickens. The present systematic review and meta-analysis examined the impact of aflatoxin-contaminated feed and the efficacy of various feed additives on the production performance of broiler chickens fed aflatoxin-contaminated feed (AF-feed). A total of 35 studies comprising 53 AF-feed experiments were selected following PRISMA guidelines. Feed additives included in the analyses were toxins binder (TB), mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS), organic acid (OA), probiotics (PRO), protein supplementation (PROT), phytobiotics (PHY), and additive mixture (MIX). Random effects model and a frequentist network meta-analysis (NMA) were performed to rank the efficacy of feed additives, reported as standardized means difference (SMD) at 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Overall, broiler chickens fed AF-feed had significantly lower final body weight (BW) (SMD = 198; 95% CI = 198 to 238) and higher feed conversion ratio (SMD = 0.17; 95% CI = 0.13 to 0.21) than control. Treatments with TB, MOS, and PHY improved the BW of birds fed AF-feed (P < 0.05) to be comparable with non-contaminated feed or control. Predictions on final BW from the broiler-fed aflatoxin-contaminated diet were 15% lower than the control diet. Including feed additives in the aflatoxins diet could ameliorate the depressive effect. Remarkably, our network meta-analysis highlighted that TB was the highest-performing additive (P-score = 0.797) to remedy aflatoxicosis. Altogether, several additives, especially TB, are promising to ameliorate aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens, although the efficacy was low regarding the severity of the aflatoxicosis.

Pathological Role of Oxidative Stress in Aflatoxin-Induced Toxicity in Different Experimental Models and Protective Effect of Phytochemicals: A Review

Aflatoxin B1 is a secondary metabolite with a potentially devastating effect in causing liver damage in broiler chickens, and this is mainly facilitated through the generation of oxidative stress and malonaldehyde build-up. In the past few years, significant progress has been made in controlling the invasion of aflatoxins. Phytochemicals are some of the commonly used molecules endowed with potential therapeutic effects to ameliorate aflatoxin, by inhibiting the production of reactive oxygen species and enhancing intracellular antioxidant enzymes. Experimental models involving cell cultures and broiler chickens exposed to aflatoxin or contaminated diet have been used to investigate the ameliorative effects of phytochemicals against aflatoxin toxicity. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were used to identify relevant data sources. The retrieved information reported on the link between aflatoxin B1-included cytotoxicity and the ameliorative potential/role of phytochemicals in chickens. Importantly, retrieved data showed that phytochemicals may potentially protect against aflatoxin B1-induced cytotoxicity by ameliorating oxidative stress and enhancing intracellular antioxidants. Preclinical data indicate that activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), together with its downstream antioxidant genes, may be a potential therapeutic mechanism by which phytochemicals neutralize oxidative stress. This highlights the need for more research to determine whether phytochemicals can be considered a useful therapeutic intervention in controlling mycotoxins to improve broiler health and productivity.

The Efficacy of Additives for the Mitigation of Aflatoxins in Animal Feed: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

The contamination of animal feed with aflatoxins is an ongoing and growing serious issue, particularly for livestock farmers in tropical and subtropical regions. Exposure of animals to an aflatoxin-contaminated diet impairs feed efficiency and increases susceptibility to diseases, resulting in mortality, feed waste, and increased production costs. They can also be excreted in milk and thus pose a significant human health risk. This systematic review and network meta-analysis aim to compare and identify the most effective intervention to alleviate the negative impact of aflatoxins on the important livestock sector, poultry production. Eligible studies on the efficacy of feed additives to mitigate the toxic effect of aflatoxins in poultry were retrieved from different databases. Additives were classified into three categories based on their mode of action and composition: organic binder, inorganic binder, and antioxidant. Moreover, alanine transaminase (ALT), a liver enzyme, was the primary indicator. Supplementing aflatoxin-contaminated feeds with different categories of additives significantly reduces serum ALT levels (p < 0.001) compared with birds fed only a contaminated diet. Inorganic binder (P-score 0.8615) was ranked to be the most efficient in terms of counteracting the toxic effect of aflatoxins, followed by antioxidant (P-score 0.6159) and organic binder (P-score 0.5018). These findings will have significant importance for farmers, veterinarians, and animal nutrition companies when deciding which type of additives to use for mitigating exposure to aflatoxins, thus improving food security and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in developing countries.

Mitigative Potential of Novel <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> TISTR 2076 against the Aflatoxins-Associated Oxidative Stress and Histopathological Alterations in Liver and Kidney of Broiler Chicks during the Entire Growth Period

Aflatoxins are the secondary metabolites produced by <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> and <i>Aspergillus parasiticus</i> and have severe pathological effects on the health of human and animals. The present study was designed to investigate the toxicopathological changes induced by aflatoxins and mitigative potential of <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> in broiler birds. One hundred and eighty broiler chicks at one day of age was procured from the local market, and chicks were equally divided into six groups with thirty birds in each group. These birds were treated with aflatoxins (300 and 600 µg/kg) and <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> (1 × 10⁸ cfu/kg of feed) in different combinations. The first group was kept as the control, and only a basal diet was provided to birds (BD). In the second group (AF1), the first level of aflatoxins (300 µg/kg) was fed to the birds. In the third group (AF2), the second level of aflatoxins (600 µg/kg) was fed to birds. In the fourth group (AF1LP), <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> was given with first level of aflatoxins. In the fifth group (AF2LP), <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> was given with the second level of aflatoxins, and in the 6th group (BDLP), <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> alone was fed to the chicks. This experimental study was continued for 42 days. Birds were slaughtered after 42 days, and different parameters were assessed. Parameters studied were gain in body weight, organ weight along with some histopathological, hematological, biochemical parameters and residues of aflatoxins in liver and kidney. <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> improved the body weight gain and restored the relative organ weight. Hepatic and renal biomarkers returned to normal concentrations, serum proteins were restored in combination group AF1LP, and partial amelioration was observed in the AF2LP group. Red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin centration and packed cell volume became normalized in the AF1LP group, while partial amelioration was observed in the AF2LP group. LP also reduced the concentration of aflatoxin residues in liver kidney and improved the TAC concentrations. The results of this study elucidated the mitigative potential of <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> against serum biochemical, histopathological, hematological and toxicopathological changes induced by aflatoxins in the chicks.

Antagonism of Cyanamide-3-O-glucoside and protocatechuic acid on Aflatoxin B1-induced toxicity in zebrafish larva (Danio rerio)

The zebrafish model was used to evaluate the antioxidant properties of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C₃G) and its metabolite protocatechuic acid (PCA) against aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁)-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress. In this study, zebrafish larvae were cultured for 3 days post fertilization (dpf) and then induced with AFB₁. After induced 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, and 24 h, 5 μg/mL C₃G/PCA was added and then co-cultured to 5 dpf, respectively. The experiments showed that C₃G/PCA suppressed AFB₁-induced zebrafish liver atrophy and delayed the absorption of the yolk sac. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell death were also significantly decreased by 5 μg/mL C₃G/PCA (P ˂ 0.05). C₃G/PCA significantly reduced hepatic biomarkers in the serum contents (P ˂ 0.05). Besides, glutathione (GSH) contents were significantly upregulated, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were significantly elevated in zebrafish (P ˂ 0.05). The addition of 5 μg/mL C₃G/PCA was capable of reducing the apoptotic levels of caspase-9 and caspase-3 after 100 ng/mL AFB₁ intoxication. In conclusion, these results suggested that C₃G and its metabolite PCA might antagonize the hepatotoxicity of AFB₁, reduce oxidative damage and inhibit cell death.

Effect of Dietary L-Threonine and Toxin Binder on Performance, Blood Parameters, and Immune Response of Broilers Exposed to Aflatoxin B1

To evaluate the effect of L-Threonine (L-Thr) and Mycofix® Plus (MP) on aflatoxicosis, an experiment with a 3-way ANOVA model was carried out with 8 replicates and 640 birds. Treatments included two levels of L-Thr (100% and 125% of the requirements, Cobb 500, Cobb-Vantress), Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) (0, 500 ppb), and MP (0, 1 g/kg). As the main effects showed, AFB1 decreased breast meat yield and carcass percentage (p < 0.001), serum urea, antibody titer against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), and bone density (p < 0.05), while it increased the plasma concentrations of glucose and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p < 0.05). Mycofix Plus improved the grower feed intake (FI), tibia fresh weight, and body weight (BW) to bone weight (p < 0.05). L-Threonine increased the grower FI, breast meat yield, serum aspartate transaminase (AST), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) (p < 0.05). There were positive interactions with breast meat yield, cholesterol, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and IBV titer. Of the treatments used, the combination of L-Thr and MP without AFB1 improved breast meat and carcass percentage. L-Threonine and MP significantly improved IBV titer in birds challenged with AFB1 (p < 0.001). In conclusion, L-Thr and MP were beneficial to improve immunity.

Investigating binding dynamics of trans resveratrol to HSA for an efficient displacement of aflatoxin B1 using spectroscopy and molecular simulation

Resveratrol is a polyphenol belonging to the class stilbenes. The active and stable form of resveratrol is trans-resveratrol. This polyphenol is bestowed with numerous biological properties. Aflatoxin B₁ is a hepato-carcinogen and mutagen that is produced by Aspergillus species. In this study, the interaction of trans-resveratrol with HSA followed by competitive dislodging of AFB₁ from HSA by trans-resveratrol has been investigated using spectroscopic studies. The UV-absorption studies revealed ground state complex formation between HSA and trans-resveratrol. Trans-resveratrol binds strongly to HSA with the binding constant of ~ 10⁷ M⁻¹ to a single binding site (n = 1.58), at 298.15 K. The Stern–Volmer quenching constant was calculated as 7.83 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ at 298.15 K, suggesting strong fluorescence quenching ability of trans-resveratrol. Site markers displacement assay projected subdomain IIA as the binding site of trans-resveratrol to HSA. The molecular docking approach envisages the amino acid residues involved in the formation of the binding pocket. As confirmed from the site marker displacement assays, both trans-resveratrol and AFB₁ binds to HSA in the same binding site, subdomain IIA. The study explores the ability of trans-resveratrol to displace AFB₁ from the HSA-AFB₁ complex, thereby affecting the toxicokinetic behavior of AFB₁ associated with AFB₁ exposure.

Invited review: Remediation strategies for mycotoxin control in feed

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of different species of fungi. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) are the main mycotoxins contaminating animal feedstuffs. These mycotoxins can primarily induce hepatotoxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, consequently cause adverse effects on the health and performance of animals. Therefore, physical, chemical, biological and nutritional regulation approaches have been developed as primary strategies for the decontamination and detoxification of these mycotoxins in the feed industry. Meanwhile, each of these techniques has its drawbacks, including inefficient, costly, or impractically applied on large scale. This review summarized the advantages and disadvantages of the different remediation strategies, as well as updates of the research progress of these strategies for AFB1, DON, ZEN and FB1 control in the feed industry.

Resveratrol Relieved Acute Liver Damage in Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) Induced by AFB1 via Modulation of Apoptosis and Nrf2 Signaling Pathways

Simple Summary

Aflatoxin B1 is ubiquitous in food and feed, which not only poses a great threat to animals, but also affects human health. It is unclear whether resveratrol can resist aflatoxin B1 damage in ducks’ livers. Therefore, the effect of resveratrol supplementation in the diets on liver injury aflatoxin B1was investigated through the gavage of aflatoxin B1. It was found that a diet that includes resveratrol can effectively protect ducks’ livers from acute injury caused by aflatoxin B1. Our study suggests that resveratrol serves as a potential phytochemical feed additive for the treatment of acute aflatoxin B1 poisoning in ducks

Abstract

The presence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in feed is a serious threat to livestock and poultry health and to human food safety. Resveratrol (Res) is a polyphenolic compound with antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and other biological activities; however, it is not clear whether it can improve AFB1 induced hepatotoxicity. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary Res on liver injury induced by AFB1 and its mechanisms. A total of 270 one-day-old male specific pathogen free (SPF) ducks, with no significant difference in weight, were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group, the AFB1 group and the AFB1 + Res group, which were fed a basic diet, a basic diet and a basic diet containing 500 mg/kg Res, respectively. On the 70th day, the ducks in theAFB1 group and the AFB1+ 500 mg/kg Res group were given 60 μg/kg AFB1 via gavage. When comparing the AFB1 group and the AFB1 + Res group and also with the control group, AFB1 significantly increased liver damage, cytochrome P450 (CYP450) and AFB1-DNA adduct content, increased oxidative stress levels and induced liver apoptosis, which was improved by Res supplementation. In sum, the addition of Res to feed can increase the activity of the II-phase enzyme, activate the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signal pathway, and protect ducks’ livers from the toxicity, oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction induced by AFB1.

Protective effects of lycopene on mitochondrial oxidative injury and dysfunction in the liver of aflatoxin B1-exposed broilers

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of lycopene (LYC) on mitochondrial oxidative injury and dysfunction in the liver of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁)-exposed broilers. A total of 192 healthy 1-day-old male broilers were randomly divided into 3 groups with 8 replicates of 8 birds each. Birds in the 3 groups were fed basal diet (control), basal diet with 100 µg/kg AFB₁, and basal diet with 100 µg/kg AFB₁ and 200 mg/kg LYC, respectively. The experiment lasted 42 d. The results showed that AFB₁ decreased average daily body weight gain (ADG), average daily feed intake, and gain to feed ratio (G :F) compared to the control group, the LYC supplementation increased ADG and G/F compared to AFB₁ group (P < 0.05). Broilers in the AFB₁ group had lower mitochondrial glutathione (mGSH) concentration and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), and thioredoxin reductase activities, and higher hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations than the control group (P < 0.05). The LYC increased mGSH concentration and GSH-Px and MnSOD activities, and decreased H₂O₂ and ROS concentrations compared to AFB₁ group (P < 0.05). Broilers fed the AFB₁ diet showed increased mitochondrial swelling and decreased adenosine triphosphate concentration than the control group, and LYC had opposite effects (P < 0.05). The AFB₁ decreased the activities of mitochondrial electron transfer chain (ETC) complexes I, II, III, and V, downregulated the mRNA expression levels of hepatic MnSOD, thioredoxin 2, thioredoxin reductase, peroxiredoxin-3, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α, nuclear respiratory factor 1, and mitochondrial transcription factor A compared with the control group (P < 0.05), and LYC increased activities of mitochondrial ETC complexes III and V, and upregulated mRNA expression levels of these genes in comparison to AFB₁ group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the LYC protected broilers from AFB₁-induced liver mitochondrial oxidative injury and dysfunction by stimulating mitochondrial antioxidant capacity and maintaining mitochondrial biogenesis.

Discovering the Protective Effects of Resveratrol on Aflatoxin B1-Induced Toxicity: A Whole Transcriptomic Study in a Bovine Hepatocyte Cell Line

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a natural feed and food contaminant classified as a group I carcinogen for humans. In the dairy industry, AFB1 and its derivative, AFM1, are of concern for the related economic losses and their possible presence in milk and dairy food products. Among its toxic effects, AFB1 can cause oxidative stress. Thus, dietary supplementation with natural antioxidants has been considered among the strategies to mitigate AFB1 presence and its toxicity. Here, the protective role of resveratrol (R) has been investigated in a foetal bovine hepatocyte cell line (BFH12) exposed to AFB1, by measuring cytotoxicity, transcriptional changes (RNA sequencing), and targeted post-transcriptional modifications (lipid peroxidation, NQO1 and CYP3A enzymatic activity). Resveratrol reversed the AFB1-dependent cytotoxicity. As for gene expression, when administered alone, R induced neglectable changes in BFH12 cells. Conversely, when comparing AFB1-exposed cells with those co-incubated with R+AFB1, greater transcriptional variations were observed (i.e., 840 DEGs). Functional analyses revealed that several significant genes were involved in lipid biosynthesis, response to external stimulus, drug metabolism, and inflammatory response. As for NQO1 and CYP3A activities and lipid peroxidation, R significantly reverted variations induced by AFB1, mostly corroborating and/or completing transcriptional data. Outcomes of the present study provide new knowledge about key molecular mechanisms involved in R antioxidant-mediated protection against AFB1 toxicity.

Exploration of plant products and phytochemicals against aflatoxin toxicity in broiler chicken production: Present status

Aflatoxins (AFs) are a class of mycotoxins produced by the toxigenic Aspergillus fungi and are common contaminants of foods and feeds. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), the most potent aflatoxin, is well characterized to reduce productive performance and mortality in broilers. This exclusive review summarizes the efficacy of various plant products and phytochemicals to counteract AFB1 toxicity in broilers. The biochemical and molecular mode of action of AFB1 to induce liver damage, genotoxicity, immunosuppression and the protective effect of plant products against such mechanisms and their toxic effects are discussed. The link between antioxidant, immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective functions of plant products; oxidative stress and AFB1 macromolecular adducts mediated AFB1 toxicity are covered. Efficacy of Satureja khuzistanica, Zataria multiflora Boiss, Thymus vulgaris, Sauropsus androgynus, Hemidesmus indicus, Leucas aspera, Moringa oleifera, Eclipta alba, Curcuma longa, Silybum marianum, Urtica dioica, and citrus fruit are summarized. The anti-aflatoxic effect of water-soluble substances of wheat, grape seed proanthocyanidin extract and phytochemicals like thymol, carvarol, piperine, transcinnamaldehyde, resveratrol, curcumin, and silymarin are also discussed. Specific plant products and phytochemicals are shown to be effective against AF toxicity in broilers and could represent an important tool to reduce health and economic losses associated with AFB1 exposure.

Effects of resveratrol on female reproduction: A review

The present review summarizes the current knowledge concerning physiological effects of resveratrol (RSV) with emphasis on the RSV action on female reproductive processes. The review outlines provenance, properties, mechanisms of action, physiological and therapeutic actions of RSV on female reproduction and other physiological processes, as well as areas of possible application of R. This review is based on the search for the related full papers indexed in Medline/Pubmed, Web of Science and SCOPUS databases between the year 2000 and 2021 according to the criteria of preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews and other related guidelines. The analysis of the available information suggests that RSV has a number of properties which enable its influence on various physiological processes including female reproduction at various regulatory levels via various extra- and intracellular signalling pathways. Despite some contradictions and limitations in the available data, they indicate applicability of both stimulatory and inhibitory effects of RSV for control and influence of various reproductive and non-reproductive processes and treatment of their disorders in phytotherapy, animal production, medicine, biotechnology and assisted reproduction. To establish the clinical efficacy of RSV, further high quality studies are needed.

Research progress on the protection and detoxification of phytochemicals against aflatoxin B1-Induced liver toxicity

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is a potent hepatotoxic toxin, which can cause hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver immunological damage. It has been involved in the etiology of human hepatocellular carcinoma. AFB₁ can cause oxidative stress in the body's metabolism process, and then cause cytotoxicity, such as apoptosis and DNA damage. Scientific research has discovered that phytochemicals can induce the detoxification pathway of AFB₁ through its biotransformation, thereby reducing the damage of AFB₁ to the human body. In clinical treatment, certain phytochemicals have been effectively used in the treatment of liver injury due to the advantages of multiple targets, multiple pathways, low toxicity and side effects. Therefore, the article summarizes the toxic mechanism of AFB₁-induced hepatoxicity, and the related research progress of phytochemicals for preventing and treating its cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. We also look forward to the existing problems and application prospects of phytochemicals in the pharmaceutical industry, in order to provide theoretical reference for the prevention and treatment of AFB₁ poisoning in future research work.

Cocktail of chelated minerals and phytogenic feed additives in the poultry industry: A review

This review article delineates the role of chelated minerals and phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) cocktail supplementation in improving the overall health status and production performance of poultry birds and its economic effects in the poultry industry. Organically complexed minerals have many advantages over inorganic sources. It has improved absorption and efficacy, which meets the bird's requirements comfortably with a low-dose level. Hence, inorganic forms can be replaced with lower-dose levels of organic minerals without any adverse effects on production performances in broilers and layers. PFAs possess medicinal properties, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, adaptogenic, and immunomodulatory, therefore, could be recommended as supplements. They are also growth promoters that enhance the overall health status and augment poultry birds' production performance. Furthermore, the tremendous potential of PFAs could be extracted with the recent advances in science and technology. With the advantages of organically complexed minerals and multiple beneficial applications, there is a resurgence to develop PFAs as a cocktail of organic minerals to improve the overall health status of poultry birds and augment their productivity, which, in turn, helps the poultry industry to grow decisively and economically.

Impact of Mycotoxins on Animals' Oxidative Status

Mycotoxins appear to be the "Achilles' heel" of the agriculture sector inducing enormous economic losses and representing a severe risk to the health of humans and animals. Although novel determination protocols have been developed and legislation has been implemented within Europe, the side effects of mycotoxins on the homeostatic mechanisms of the animals have not been extensively considered. Feed mycotoxin contamination and the effects on the antioxidant status of livestock (poultry, swine, and ruminants) are presented. The findings support the idea that the antioxidant systems in both monogastrics and ruminants are challenged under the detrimental effect of mycotoxins by increasing the toxic lipid peroxidation by-product malondialdehyde (MDA) and inhibiting the activity of antioxidant defense mechanisms. The degree of oxidative stress is related to the duration of contamination, co-contamination, the synergetic effects, toxin levels, animal age, species, and productive stage. Since the damaging effects of MDA and other by-products derived by lipid peroxidation as well as reactive oxygen species have been extensively studied on human health, a more integrated monitoring mechanism (which will take into account the oxidative stability) is urgently required to be implemented in animal products.

The use of plant extracts and their phytochemicals for control of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins

Mycotoxins present a great concern to food safety and security due to their adverse health and socio-economic impacts. The necessity to formulate novel strategies that can mitigate the economic and health effects associated with mycotoxin contamination of food and feed commodities without any impact on public health, quality and nutritional value of food and feed, economy and trade industry become imperative. Various strategies have been adopted to mitigate mycotoxin contamination but often fall short of the required efficacy. One of the promising approaches is the use of bioactive plant components/metabolites synergistically with mycotoxin-absorbing components in order to limit exposure to these toxins and associated negative health effects. In particular, is the fabrication of β-cyclodextrin-based nanosponges encapsulated with bioactive compounds of plant origin to inhibit toxigenic fungi and decontaminate mycotoxins in food and feed without leaving any health and environmental hazard to the consumers. The present paper reviews the use of botanicals extracts and their phytochemicals coupled with β-cyclodextrin-based nanosponge technology to inhibit toxigenic fungal invasion and detoxify mycotoxins.

Pterostilbene as a protective antioxidant attenuates diquat-induced liver injury and oxidative stress in 21-day-old broiler chickens

This study investigated the effects of pterostilbene (PT) supplementation on growth performance, hepatic injury, and antioxidant variables in a broiler chicken model with diquat (DQ)-induced oxidative stress. There were 192 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: 1) broilers fed a basal diet and 2) broilers fed a diet supplemented with 400 mg/kg PT. At 20 D of age, half of the broilers in each group were intraperitoneally injected with DQ (20 mg per kg BW), whereas the other half were injected with an equivalent amount of sterile saline. Diquat induced a rapid loss of BW (P < 0.001) 24 h post-injection, but dietary PT supplementation improved the BW change of broilers (P = 0.014). Compared with unchallenged controls, the livers of DQ-treated broilers were in severe cellular damage and oxidative stress, with the presence of higher plasma transaminase activities (P < 0.05), a greater number of apoptotic hepatocytes (P < 0.001), and an increased malondialdehyde content (P = 0.007). Pterostilbene supplementation prevented the increases in plasma aspartate aminotransferase activity (P = 0.001), the percentage of hepatocyte apoptosis (P < 0.001), and the hepatic malondialdehyde accumulation (P = 0.011) of the DQ-treated broilers. Regarding the hepatic antioxidant function, PT significantly increased total antioxidant capacity (P = 0.007), superoxide dismutase activity (P = 0.016), reduced glutathione content (P = 0.011), and the ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione (P = 0.003), whereas it reduced the concentration of oxidized glutathione (P = 0.017). Pterostilbene also boosted the expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (P = 0.010), heme oxygenase 1 (P = 0.037), superoxide dismutase 1 (P = 0.014), and the glutamate–cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (P = 0.001), irrespective of DQ challenge. In addition, PT alleviated DQ-induced adenosine triphosphate depletion (P = 0.010). In conclusion, PT attenuates DQ-induced hepatic injury and oxidative stress of broilers presumably by restoring hepatic antioxidant function.

Single components of botanicals and nature-identical compounds as a non-antibiotic strategy to ameliorate health status and improve performance in poultry and pigs

In the current post-antibiotic era, botanicals represent one of the most employed nutritional strategies to sustain antibiotic-free and no-antibiotic-ever production. Botanicals can be classified either as plant extracts, meaning the direct products derived by extraction from the raw plant materials (essential oils (EO) and oleoresins (OR)), or as nature-identical compounds (NIC), such as the chemically synthesised counterparts of the pure bioactive compounds of EO/OR. In the literature, differences between the use of EO/OR or NIC are often unclear, so it is difficult to attribute certain effects to specific bioactive compounds. The aim of the present review was to provide an overview of the effects exerted by botanicals on the health status and growth performance of poultry and pigs, focusing attention on those studies where only NIC were employed or those where the composition of the EO/OR was defined. In particular, phenolic compounds (apigenin, quercetin, curcumin and resveratrol), organosulfur compounds (allicin), terpenes (eugenol, thymol, carvacrol, capsaicin and artemisinin) and aldehydes (cinnamaldehyde and vanillin) were considered. These molecules have different properties such as antimicrobial (including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antiprotozoal), anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, as well as the improvement of intestinal morphology and integrity of the intestinal mucosa. The use of NIC allows us to properly combine pure compounds, according to the target to achieve. Thus, they represent a promising non-antibiotic tool to allow better intestinal health and a general health status, thereby leading to improved growth performance.

The Biodegradation Role of Saccharomyces cerevisiae against Harmful Effects of Mycotoxin Contaminated Diets on Broiler Performance, Immunity Status, and Carcass characteristics

Simple Summary

Over the past two decades, the use of agents for the biodegradation of mycotoxins has led to a reduction in their accumulation and toxicity in the digestive tract of animals. Thus, mycotoxin decontaminating agents are very useful in the prevention of aflatoxicosis. The present feeding trial aimed to evaluate the biodegradation role of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the prevention of the harmful effects of a mycotoxin contaminated diet on broiler performance, immunity, and carcass traits. The obtained results revealed significant improvements in broiler growth performance parameters, carcass traits, and antibody titer against infected diseases as an effect of the dietary inclusion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae up to 3.75 g kg⁻¹. Consequentially, it could be used in broiler contaminated diets without negatively affecting bird health.

Abstract

A feeding trial (35 days) was carried out to investigate the effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall as a mycotoxin biodegradation agent on the performance, feed efficiency, carcass traits, and immunity response against diseases in broilers fed aflatoxin B1 contaminated diets. For this purpose, 200 one day old broilers were randomly allotted into four groups, each with five replicates (10 birds per replicate). Four starter and finisher experimental rations were formulated by using (A) 0, (B) 1.25, (C) 2.5, and (D) 3.75 g kg⁻¹ of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Experimental diets were contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (100 ppb kg⁻¹ diet). The experimental chicks were kept under standard managerial conditions, and the vaccination program was followed against infectious bursal disease (IBD), infectious bronchitis (IB), and Newcastle disease (ND) diseases. At the end of the feeding trial, carcass, organ weight, and blood samples were collected randomly to determine the carcass traits and antibody titer against ND and IBD viruses. Throughout the experiment, the addition of 3.75 g kg⁻¹ of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall (Group-D) in feed resulted in the highest weight gain, final weight, feed intake, and the lowest FCR values followed by C group compared with the other groups. All carcass traits were significantly (p > 0.05) improved by increasing the inclusion levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in broiler diets. It could be concluded that the broiler diet supplemented with 2.5 or 3.75 g kg⁻¹ of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a biodegrading agent resulted in improved growth performance, immunity activity and carcass traits, and supplementation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae at these levels can be used effectively in broiler diets without negatively affecting bird health status.

Dietary pterostilbene supplementation attenuates intestinal damage and immunological stress of broiler chickens challenged with lipopolysaccharide

The present study explored the potential effect of pterostilbene as a prophylactic treatment on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal injury of broiler chickens by monitoring changes in mucosal injury indicators, redox status, and inflammatory responses. In total, 192 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly divided into four groups. This trial consisted of a 2 × 2 factorial design with a diet factor (supplemented with 0 or 400 mg/kg pterostilbene from 1 to 22 d of age) and a stress factor (intraperitoneally injected with saline or LPS at 5.0 mg/kg BW at 21 da of age). The results showed that LPS challenge induced a decrease in BW gain (P < 0.001) of broilers during a 24-h period postinjection; however, this decrease was prevented by pterostilbene supplementation (P = 0.031). Administration of LPS impaired the intestinal integrity of broilers, as indicated by increased plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) activity (P = 0.014) and d-lactate content (P < 0.001), reduced jejunal villus height (VH; P < 0.001) and the ratio of VH to crypt depth (VH:CD; P < 0.001), as well as a decreased mRNA level of jejunal tight junction protein 1 (ZO-1; P = 0.002). In contrast, pterostilbene treatment increased VH:CD (P = 0.018) and upregulated the mRNA levels of ZO-1 (P = 0.031) and occludin (P = 0.024) in the jejunum. Consistently, pterostilbene counteracted the LPS-induced increased DAO activity (P = 0.011) in the plasma. In addition, the LPS-challenged broilers exhibited increases in nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 (P < 0.001), the protein content of tumor necrosis factor α (P = 0.033), and the mRNA abundance of IL-1β (P = 0.042) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3; P = 0.019). In contrast, pterostilbene inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 (P = 0.039) and suppressed the mRNA expression of IL-1β (P = 0.003) and NLRP3 (P = 0.049) in the jejunum. Moreover, pterostilbene administration induced a greater amount of reduced glutathione (P = 0.017) but a lower content of malondialdehyde (P = 0.023) in the jejunum of broilers compared with those received a basal diet. Overall, the current study indicates that dietary supplementation with pterostilbene may play a beneficial role in alleviating the intestinal damage of broiler chicks under the conditions of immunological stress.

Modulation of aflatoxin B1 cytotoxicity and aflatoxin M1 synthesis by natural antioxidants in a bovine mammary epithelial cell line

Aflatoxin (AF) B1, a widespread food and feed contaminant, is bioactivated by drug metabolizing enzymes (DME) to cytotoxic and carcinogenic metabolites like AFB1-epoxide and AFM1, a dairy milk contaminant. A number of natural antioxidants have been reported to afford a certain degree of protection against AFB1 (cyto)toxicity. As the mammary gland potentially participates in the generation of AFB1 metabolites, we evaluated the role of selected natural antioxidants (i.e. curcumin, quercetin and resveratrol) in the modulation of AFB1 toxicity and metabolism using a bovine mammary epithelial cell line (BME-UV1). Quercetin and, to a lesser extent, resveratrol and curcumin from Curcuma longa (all at 5 μM) significantly counteracted the AFB1-mediated impairment of cell viability (concentration range: 96-750 nM). Moreover, quercetin was able to significantly reduce the synthesis of AFM1. The quantitative PCR analysis on genes encoding for DME (phase I and II) and antioxidant enzymes showed that AFB1 caused an overall downregulation of the detoxifying systems, and mainly of GSTA1, which mediates the GSH conjugation of the AFB1-epoxide. The negative modulation of GSTA1 was efficiently reversed in the presence of quercetin, which significantly increased GSH levels as well. It is suggested that quercetin exerts its beneficial effects by depressing the bio-transformation of AFB1 and counterbalancing its pro-oxidant effects.

Yucca schidigera extract modulates the lead-induced oxidative damage, nephropathy and altered inflammatory response and glucose homeostasis in Japanese quails

The present study was conducted to explore the toxic effects of lead (Pb) on the physiological responses of Japanese quails and to investigate the potential modulatory role of Yucca schidigera extract (YSE) against these effects. 360 mature Japanese quails (at 2 months of age) were used and the experiment was lasted for 8 weeks. The birds were divided into six equal groups as follow: control (basal diet, BD), BD+Pb (100 mg/kg diet), BD+YSE (100 mg/kg diet), BD+YSE (200 mg/kg diet), BD+Pb (100 mg/kg diet) +YSE (100 mg/kg diet) and BD+ Pb (100 mg/kg diet) + YSE (200 mg/kg diet). Pb induced a significant reduction in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and reduced glutathione (GSH) level. While, increased protein carbonyl (PC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in tissues of exposed birds. Pb increased level of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in serum. YSE significantly reduced the Pb -induced oxidative stress in co-treated groups especially at 200 mg/kg diet. YSE could modulate the Pb -induced decreased urea, creatinine and beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) levels. YSE200 was found to be better than the YSE100 in decreasing levels of inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Furthermore, YSE significantly regulates glucose homeostasis in co-exposed quails. Pb residues were found to be significantly higher in kidney and pancreas tissues of Pb group compared to other groups. YES decreased the expression of metallothionein-1 in the renal and pancreatic tissues, while elevated insulin expression in the pancreatic cells by immunostaining in co-exposed groups. In conclusion, the present results conclusively demonstrate the potential modulatory effect of YSE against the Pb-induced toxic effects in different organs of Japanese quails.

Effect of dietary supplementation of Eclitpa alba on oxidative stress and liver damage induced by aflatoxin in broilers

The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of Eclipta alba leaf powder to ameliorate the oxidative stress and liver damage induced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in broilers. Day-old male broilers were fed with basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with E. alba (1.0%), basal diet with 1.0 ppm AFB1 or AFB1 (1.0 ppm) with E. alba (1.0%) for 42 days. Birds fed AFB1 showed significantly higher serum AST and ALT activities, and decreased concentrations of total protein, cholesterol and albumin. AFB1 feeding significantly increased hepatic lipid peroxidation products, decreased antioxidant enzymes and induced pathological changes in liver. The supplementation of E. alba leaf powder with AFB1 contaminated diet significantly improved serum biochemical profile, reduced the oxidative stress and pathological changes in liver. The present study revealed that supplementation of E. alba reduces the liver damage and oxidative stress induced by AFB1 and offer protection against aflatoxin toxicity in broilers.

Potential of plant polyphenols to combat oxidative stress and inflammatory processes in farm animals

Polyphenols are secondary plant metabolites which have been shown to exert antioxidative and antiinflamma tory effects in cell culture, rodent and human studies. Based on the fact that conditions of oxidative stress and inflammation are highly relevant in farm animals, polyphenols are considered as promising feed additives in the nutrition of farm animals. However, in contrast to many studies existing with model animals and humans, potential antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects of polyphenols have been less investigated in farm animals so far. This review aims to give an overview about potential antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects in farm animals. The first part of the review highlights the occurrence and the consequences of oxidative stress and inflammation on animal health and performance. The second part of the review deals with bioavailability and metabolism of polyphenols in farm animals. The third and main part of the review presents an overview of the findings from studies which investigated the effects of polyphenols of various plant sources in pigs, poultry and cattle, with particular consideration of effects on the antioxidant system and inflammation.

Nutrigenomic evaluation of garlic (Allium sativum) and holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) leaf powder supplementation on growth performance and immune characteristics in broilers

Aim:

In this study, a planned research work was conducted to investigate the nutrigenomic aspects of supplementation of Allium sativum (garlic) and Ocimum sanctum (holy basil) leaf powder on the growth performance and immune characteristics of broilers.

Materials and Methods:

A 6 weeks feeding trial was conducted with 280-day-old Ven Cobb broilers, distributed randomly into seven experimental groups. Each treatment had 4 replicates with 10 birds each. The birds of the control group (T₁) were fed a basal diet formulated as per BIS standards. The broilers of treatment groups T₂ and T₃ were fed basal diet supplemented with the commercially available garlic powder (GP) at levels of 0.5% and 1.0% of the feed, respectively, while broilers in T₄ and T₅ were fed basal diet supplemented with commercial grade holy basil leaf powder (HBLP) at levels 0.5% and 1.0% of the feed, respectively. Birds in the T₆ were fed with 0.5% GP and 0.5% HBLP, whereas T₇ was fed with 1.0% GP and 1.0% HBLP. At the end of the feeding trial (6^th week), blood samples were collected and analyzed for relative mRNA expression of toll-like receptors (TLR) 2, TLR 4 and TLR 7 using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results:

The mean body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency were improved (p<0.05) in broilers fed the GP and HBLP incorporated diets compared with the control group. The relative mRNA expression levels of TLR 2, TLR 4 and TLR 7 in the peripheral blood of the broilers were found to be increased (p<0.05) in the birds supplemented with graded levels of the GP and HBLP as compared to the untreated group.

Conclusion:

The present work concludes that the inclusion of GP and HBLP could enhance the production performance and immune status of birds by augmenting the T-cell mediated immune response and thereby protects them from disease without decreasing growth traits as a possible substitution to conventional antimicrobials.

Nation-Based Occurrence and Endogenous Biological Reduction of Mycotoxins in Medicinal Herbs and Spices

Medicinal herbs have been increasingly used for therapeutic purposes against a diverse range of human diseases worldwide. Moreover, the health benefits of spices have been extensively recognized in recent studies. However, inevitable contaminants, including mycotoxins, in medicinal herbs and spices can cause serious problems for humans in spite of their health benefits. Along with the different nation-based occurrences of mycotoxins, the ultimate exposure and toxicities can be diversely influenced by the endogenous food components in different commodities of the medicinal herbs and spices. The phytochemicals in these food stuffs can influence mold growth, mycotoxin production and biological action of the mycotoxins in exposed crops, as well as in animal and human bodies. The present review focuses on the occurrence of mycotoxins in medicinal herbs and spices and the biological interaction between mold, mycotoxin and herbal components. These networks will provide insights into the methods of mycotoxin reduction and toxicological risk assessment of mycotoxin-contaminated medicinal food components in the environment and biological organisms.