Comprehensive Review on the Interactions of Clay Minerals With Animal Physiology and Production

A Feeding Trial to Investigate Strategies to Mitigate the Impacts of Pimelea Poisoning in Australian Cattle

Pimelea poisoning of cattle causes distinct symptoms and frequently death, attributable to the toxin simplexin. Pimelea poisoning was induced via addition of ground Pimelea trichostachya plant to the daily feed in a three-month trial with Droughtmaster steers. The trial tested four potential mitigation treatments, namely, biochar, activated biochar, bentonite, and a bacterial inoculum, and incorporated negative and positive control groups. All treatments tested were unable to prevent the development of simplexin poisoning effects. However, steers consuming a bentonite adsorbent together with Pimelea showed lesser rates-of-decline for body weight (P < 0.05) and four hematological parameters (P < 0.02), compared to the positive control group fed Pimelea only. Microbiome analysis revealed that despite displaying poisoning symptoms, the rumen microbial populations of animals receiving Pimelea were very resilient, with dominant bacterial populations maintained over time. Unexpectedly, clinical edema developed in some animals up to 2 weeks after Pimelea dosing was ceased.

Dietary supplementation with a silicate clay mineral (palygorskite) alleviates inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier damage in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli

This experiment aimed to explore the protective effects of dietary palygorskite (Pal) supplementation on inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier function of broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli (E. coli). A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement was designed to assess the effects of Pal administration (0 or 5 g/kg of feed) and E. coli challenge (E. coli or bacterial culture medium) on broilers in a 21-d feeding trial. Birds were randomly assigned into one of the 4 groups, and each group had 8 replicates with ten birds each. The challenged chickens were orally gavaged with E. coli suspended in Luria-Bertani broth on 14 d of age, while unchallenged birds were administrated with an equivalent amount of culture medium. The sampling was performed at 21 d of age. Compared with the normal birds, an oral E. coli challenge reduced final body weight, and decreased feed intake, weight gain, and feed efficiency during the challenge period (P < 0.05). E. coli challenge promoted colonization of E. coli in cecal content and their translocation to internal organs (heart, liver, and spleen) (P < 0.05). E. coli infection also increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in jejunum and ileum possibly through activating the toll-like receptor-4-mediated signaling pathway (P < 0.05). Moreover, E. coli administration increased intestinal mucosal permeability (higher serum D-lactate level and diamine oxidase activity, and lower intestinal mucosal disaccharidase activities), altered intestinal morphology, and downregulated the gene expression of intestinal tight junction proteins (P < 0.05). In contrast, Pal supplementation enhanced growth performance, inhibited colonization of E. coli, reduced intestinal inflammation, decreased intestinal permeability, restored intestinal morphology, and normalized the expression of genes responsible for inflammatory processes and maintenance of intestinal mucosal barrier (P < 0.05), and most of these beneficial effects resulting from Pal administration were independent of bacterial challenge. The results indicated dietary Pal incorporation was effective in improving growth performance and alleviating inflammation and intestinal mucosal barrier damage in broilers challenged with E. coli.

Impact of concerning excipients on animal safety: insights for veterinary pharmacotherapy and regulatory considerations

OBJECTIVES

Veterinarians and pharmacists are familiar with the efficacy and safety aspects attributed to active pharmaceutical ingredients included in medicines, but they are rarely concerned with the safety of excipients present in medicines. Although generally recognized as safe, excipients are not chemically inert and may produce adverse events in certain animal populations. This review aims to present excipients of concern to these populations and highlight their relevance for rational veterinary pharmacotherapy.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A comprehensive review of the literature about the existence of adverse reactions in animals caused by pharmaceutical excipients was carried out based on an exploratory study. An overview of the correct conditions of use and safety of these excipients has also been provided, with information about their function, the proportion in which they are included in the different pharmaceutical dosage forms and the usual routes of administration.

RESULTS

We identified 18 excipients considered of concern due to their potential to cause harm to the health of specific animal populations: bentonite, benzalkonium chloride, benzoic acid, benzyl alcohol, ethanol, lactose, mannitol, mineral oil, monosodium glutamate, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate, propylene glycol, sodium benzoate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, sodium lauryl sulfate, sulfites, polyoxyethylene castor oil derivatives, and xylitol. Among the 135 manuscripts listed, only 24 referred to studies in which the substances were correctly evaluated as excipients.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the information presented in this review, the authors hope to draw the attention of professionals involved in veterinary pharmacotherapy to the existence of excipients of concern in medicines. This information contributes to rational veterinary pharmacotherapy and supports veterinary pharmacovigilance actions. We hope to shed light on the subject and encourage studies and new manuscripts that address the safety of pharmaceutical excipients to the animal population.

Bentonite in Korea: A Resource and Research Focus for Biomedical and Cosmetic Industries

This study provides an in-depth review of bentonite, focusing on its applications in Korea's biomedical and cosmetic sectors. It delves into bentonite's chemical properties, which make it a valuable resource in various industries, particularly in the health and beauty industries. We discuss bentonite's antimicrobial properties, showcasing its effectiveness against a wide range of pathogens and its potential as a biomedicine adjuvant to boost immune responses. Despite its benefits, the review also addresses the need for caution due to its possible side effects when used in human therapy. In the cosmetics industry, bentonite is prized for its ability to absorb impurities, making it a popular ingredient in products from leading brands. The review highlights the ongoing research and development efforts aiming to further explore bentonite's capabilities and applications, underlining the material's significant contribution to advancing Korea's innovation in the biomedical and cosmetic fields. This review suggests that with more research, bentonite's full potential can be unlocked, offering new opportunities for these industries.

The Effect of Saponite Clay on Ruminal Fermentation Parameters during In Vitro Studies

Reducing the emission of global warming gases currently remains one of the strategic tasks. Therefore, the objective of our work was to determine the effect of saponite clay on fermentation in the rumen of cows. The pH, total gas production, CH4, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production in ruminal fluid was determined in vitro. Saponite clay from the Tashkiv deposit (Ukraine) has a high content of silicon, iron, aluminum, and magnesium. The addition of 0.15 and 0.25 g of saponite clay to the incubated mixture did not change the pH but reduced the total production (19% and 31%, respectively) and CH4 (24% and 46%, respectively) in the ruminal fluid compared to the control group and had no significant effect on the total VFA levels, but propionic acid increased by 15% and 21% and butyric acid decreased by 39% and 32%, respectively. We observed a decrease in the fermentation rates, with a simultaneous increase in the P:B ratio and an increase in the fermentation efficiency (FE) in the groups fermented with saponite clay, probably a consequence of the high efficiency in the breakdown of starch in the rumen. Therefore, further in vivo studies to determine the effective dose and effect of saponite clay on cow productivity and the reduction of gas emissions are promising and important.

Effects of a Bentonite Clay Product and a Preservative Blend on Ileal and Fecal Nutrient Digestibility in Pigs Fed Wheat Naturally Contaminated with Deoxynivalenol

The objectives were to determine the effects of dietary deoxynivalenol (DON) on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients and to evaluate the efficacy of a bentonite (BEN) and a preservative blend (PB) product for alleviating DON effects on the nutrient digestibility of pigs. Twelve crossbred barrows with an initial body weight of 69.4 kg (standard deviation = 3.5) equipped with a T-cannula in the distal ileum were allotted a triplicated 4 × 2 incomplete Latin square design with four dietary treatments and two periods. Dietary treatments were (1) an uncontaminated diet, (2) a contaminated diet (CD) mainly based on contaminated wheat with 1.6 mg/kg DON, (3) CD + 0.25% PB consisting of preservation components as major sources, antioxidants, microorganisms, and amino acids (AA), and (4) CD + 0.25% BEN. The AID and ATTD of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, most minerals, and most AA were not affected by DON contamination. Dietary DON decreased the AID and ATTD of sodium (p < 0.05) but were restored by supplementing the PB product (p < 0.05). The AID of zinc was increased (p < 0.05) by dietary DON, but supplementing BEN decreased zinc digestibility (p < 0.05). The AID of Arg, Ile, Thr, and Asp was decreased (p < 0.05) by BEN addition. In conclusion, dietary DON affected the digestibility of some minerals but not AA in pigs. Supplemental BEN can negatively affect the nutrient digestibility of some minerals and AA in pigs. The addition of a PB product in pig diets can restore digestibility of sodium but not of other nutrients. Based on these observations, feed additives for alleviating DON effects on nutrient digestibility of pigs can be carefully selected by swine diet formulators.

Ameliorative effects of Sida acuta and vitamin C on serum DNA damage, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in roosters fed aflatoxin B1 contaminated diets

The ameliorative effects of Sida acuta leaf meal (SALM) and vitamin C on the serum pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as DNA damage of cocks fed aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contaminated diets were examined. The experiment was a completely randomized design with a total of 250 sexually mature Isa White cocks aged 24 weeks, randomly allotted into five experimental diets; each diet contained 5 replicates with 10 roosters. The diets were A (control/basal diet), B (A + 1 mg/kg AFB1), C (B + 200 mg/kg vitamin C), D (B + 2.5 g/kg SALM) and E (B + 5.0 g/kg SALM). Fresh and clean water was also provided for the whole experimental period of twelve weeks. Inclusion of 1 mg/kg AFB1 without vitamin C or SALM increased TNF-α and IL-1β as well as 8-OHdG and NF-κB in the serum significantly (P < 0.05) among the cocks on diet B. However, the fortification of AFB1 contaminated diets with vitamin C and SALM depressed serum TNF-α, IL-1β, 8-OHdG and NF-κB concentrations of the cocks significantly (P < 0.05). Conversely, serum IL-4 and IL-10 in birds given 1 mg/kg AFB1 without vitamin C or SALM decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in comparison with the roosters on the control. However, improvements (P < 0.05) in IL-4 and IL-10 concentrations with corresponding reduction (P < 0.05) in TNF-α, IL-1β, 8-OHdG and NF-κB concentrations were recorded among cocks fed Diets C, D and E, respectively. Therefore, dietary addition of SALM at the level used in this study was beneficial and has comparable effects with inorganic antioxidant (C vitamin) by significantly reducing the inflammatory cytokines and oxidative damage biomarkers as well as enhancing the anti-inflammatory cytokines thereby promoting the health status of the cocks fed AFB1 contaminated ration.

A Commercial Clay-Based Material as a Carrier for Targeted Lysozyme Delivery in Animal Feed

The controlled supply of bioactive molecules is a subject of debate in animal nutrition. The release of bioactive molecules in the target organ, in this case the intestine, results in improved feed, as well as having a lower environmental impact. However, the degradation of bioactive molecules' in transit in the gastrointestinal passage is still an unresolved issue. This paper discusses the feasibility of a simple and cost-effective procedure to bypass the degradation problem. A solid/liquid adsorption procedure was applied, and the operating parameters (pH, reaction time, and LY initial concentration) were studied. Lysozyme is used in this work as a representative bioactive molecule, while Adsorbo®, a commercial mixture of clay minerals and zeolites which meets current feed regulations, is used as the carrier. A maximum LY loading of 32 mgLY/gAD (LY(32)-AD) was obtained, with fixing pH in the range 7.5-8, initial LY content at 37.5 mgLY/gAD, and reaction time at 30 min. A full characterisation of the hybrid organoclay highlighted that LY molecules were homogeneously spread on the carrier's surface, where the LY-carrier interaction was mainly due to charge interaction. Preliminary release tests performed on the LY(32)-AD synthesised sample showed a higher releasing capacity, raising the pH from 3 to 7. In addition, a preliminary Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay showed an antioxidant capacity for the LY of 1.47 ± 0.18 µmol TroloxEq/g with an inhibition percentage of 33.20 ± 3.94%.

Aluminosilicates as a Double-Edged Sword: Adsorption of Aflatoxin B1 and Sequestration of Essential Trace Minerals in an In Vitro Gastrointestinal Poultry Model

Aflatoxins can cause intoxication and poisoning in animals and humans. Among these molecules, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most dangerous because of its carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. To mitigate these effects, clay adsorbents are commonly included in the diet of animals to adsorb the carcinogens and prevent their absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, four clays, three smectites (C-1, C-2, and C-3), and one zeolite (C-4), were compared as adsorbents of AFB1 and trace inorganic nutrients using an in vitro gastrointestinal model for poultry. Characterization of the clays using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed characteristic bands of smectites in C-1, C-2, and C-3 (stretching vibrations of Si-O, Al-O-Si, and Si-O-Si). The C-4 presented bands related to the bending vibration of structural units (Si-O-Si and Al-O-Si). X-ray diffraction analysis showed that C-1 is a montmorillonite, C-2 is a beidellite, C-3 is a beidellite-Ca-montmorillonite, and C-4 is a clinoptilolite. The elemental compositions of the clays showed alumina, silica, iron, calcium, and sodium contents. The cation exchange capacity was higher in C-3 clay (60.2 cmol(+)/kg) in contrast with the other clays. The AFB1 adsorption of C-1 was the highest (98%; p ˂ 0.001), followed by C-2 (94%). However, all the clays also sequestered trace inorganic nutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Se). Both smectites, montmorillonite and beidellite, were the most suitable for use as adsorbents of AFB1.