Effects of Aloe arborescens Whole Plant Homogenate on Lipid Metabolism, Inflammatory Conditions and Liver Function of Dairy Cows during the Transition Period

Aloe arborescens supplementation in drying-off dairy cows: influence on rumen, rectum and milk microbiomes

BACKGROUND

In the context of the RABOLA project, which aimed to identify operational practices that lead to the reduction of antibiotic use in dairy cattle farming, lyophilised Aloe arborescens was administered orally to cows during the dry-off and peripartum periods. In this specific paper we wanted to examine whether oral administration of Aloe arborescens, in combination with the topical application of a teat sealant could exert an effect on the microbial populations of three cow microbiomes (rumen, milk, rectum), between dry-off and peripartum. Dry-off and peripartum are critical physiological phases of the cow's life, where both the mammary gland and the gastrointestinal tract undergo dramatic modifications, hence the relevance of evaluating the effects of dietary treatments.

METHODS

Thirty multiparous dairy cows were randomly allocated to three groups: Control (antibiotic treatment and internal teat sealant), Sealant (only internal teat sealant) and Aloe (internal teat sealant and Aloe arborescens homogenate administered orally). For 16S rRNA gene sequencing, rumen, rectum and milk samples were collected, not synchronously, at the most critical timepoints around dry-off and calving, considering the physiological activity of each biological site.

RESULTS

The rumen microbiome was predominantly characterized by Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes followed by Proteobacteria, while the rectum exhibited a prevalence of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The milk microbiome mainly comprised Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Alistipes spp., Ruminococcaceae UCG-10 group, Prevotellaceae UCG-001 group, and Bacteroides spp., involved in cellulose and hemicellulose degradation, enhancement of energy metabolism, and peptide breakdown, showed increment in the rectum microbiome with Aloe supplementation. The rectum microbiome in the Aloe group exhibited a significant increase in the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio and alpha-diversity at seven days after dry-off period. Beta-diversity showed a significant separation between treatments for the rectum and milk microbiomes. Aloe supplementation seemed to enrich milk microbial composition, whereas the Sealant group showed greater diversity compared to the Control group, albeit this included an increase in microorganisms frequently associated with mastitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Aloe arborescens administration during the dry-off period did not demonstrate any observable impact on the microbial composition of the rumen, a finding further supported by volatilome analysis. Instead, the oral Aloe supplementation at dry-off appears to significantly influence the composition of the dairy cow rectum and milk microbiomes in the following lactation.

Ayurveda in the integrative management of bovine secondary recumbency-a case report

Downer cow syndrome, or secondary recumbency, is a condition primarily affecting dairy cows, where the animal is unable to rise and stand, due to unknown cause. It is usually associated with poor prognosis. Terminal downers are euthanized in most countries. A four-year old Kasarkode dwarf-cow, post-calving was brought up laterally recumbent with heavy nasal discharge, labored breathing, loss of appetite and signs of dehydration on 6th day of its recumbency. Before this, the patient was diagnosed with milk fever and standard treatment with calcium borogluconate was administered intravenously. The animal was left to succumb under unprotected conditions, due to various constraints on euthanasia. After adopting the cow, Nasya was started immediately to avoid death due to sepsis and shock. The animal was drenched with Ayurvedic fluids containing deepana-pacana herbs. Sternal recumbency, warm and moistened muzzle was observed on the fourth day of commencing ayurvedic treatment. Respiratory distress was minimal. Drastic prognostic shift from "no hope" to "good" was possible within 6 days thanks to Nasya, and the animal was stable. Thereafter, integrative care comprising of antibiotics, rehydrating IV fluids, and supplementations, along with ayurvedic medicines was initiated. Ruminal-fluid obtained from slaughterhouse was used for ruminal-flora replacement. Rumination on 14th day, cow on its feet by 19th day and complete healing of decubital ulcers by approximately 40 days was recorded. A downed cow which did not respond to standard veterinary care was managed with Ayurveda-integrated veterinary care. Ayurveda herbs like bamboo leaves (Bambusa vulgaris), green chiretta (Andrographis paniculata) that cattle prefer eating during certain illness, turn out to be useful for Ayurvedic management. Hence, Ayurveda veterinary medicine might be, a good choice for integrative management of terminal downers, preventing early death in downed dairy cows.

Dietary supplementation of Aloe vera extract modulates rumen microbes and improves the functional food value of milk by altering phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and fatty acid profile in lactating goats

Twenty-four cross-breed (Alpine × Beetal) lactating goats (average body weight: 37.5 ± 2.7 kg and milk yield: 1.78 ± 0.31 kg/day) were chosen for the ninety days duration of the experiment and divided into three groups following a completely randomized design. Group I acted as control (T0) and received only a basal diet as per requirement, whereas group II (T1) and group III (T2) received basal diet added with Aloe vera extract at 2% and 4% of dry matter intake (DMI), respectively. Total phenolic compounds (TPC) and milk antioxidant status were higher (p < 0.05) in T1 and T2 than T0. Relative abundance of methanogen, protozoa, Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus, and Ruminococcus flavefaciens in the rumen were lower, while Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens population was higher (p < 0.05) in T2 and T1 compared to T0. Saturated fatty acids levels in milk were lower, whereas different polyunsaturated fatty acids levels were higher (p < 0.05) in T1 and T2 than T0. Nutritional indices of milk increased in both supplemented groups. Overall, it may be concluded that dietary supplementation of Aloe vera extract at 2% and 4% of DMI may enhance the functional characteristics of milk by boosting TPC and antioxidant status, as well as the FA profile and nutritional quality indices of milk fat.

Impact of dry-off and lyophilized Aloe arborescens supplementation on plasma metabolome of dairy cows

Positive effects have been observed as a result of Aloe arborescens supplementation in the dry-off phase in dairy cows. Metabolomic approaches can provide additional information about animal physiology. Thus, we characterized plasma metabolome around dry-off in 12 cows supplemented (AL) or not (CTR) with 10 g/d of lyophilized A. arborescens with an untargeted metabolomic approach. Overall, 1658 mass features were annotated. Regardless of treatment, multivariate statistics discriminated samples taken before and after dry-off. Overall, 490 metabolites were different between late lactation and early dry period, of which 237 were shared between AL and CTR. The most discriminant compounds (pentosidine and luteolin 7-O-glucoside) were related to the more fibrous diet. Pathway analysis indicated that pyrimidine and glycerophospholipid metabolisms were down-accumulated, suggesting reduced rumen microbial activity and liver load. Samples from AL were discriminated from CTR either the day of dry-off or 7 days after. At dry-off, aloin and emodin were the most discriminant metabolites, indicating that Aloe's bioactive compounds were absorbed. Seven days later, 534 compounds were different between groups, and emodin was among the most impacted. Pathway analysis highlighted that glycerophospholipid, pyrimidine, and folate metabolisms were affected. These results might indicate that Aloe has positive effects on liver function and a modulatory effect on rumen fermentation.

Polycystic ovaries and herbal remedies: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects one in every 15 women worldwide. This disorder is mainly characterized by increased levels of male hormones (androgens), acne, and hirsutism, and can lead to long-term insulin resistance, miscarriage, or even infertility in women. PCOS is a disorder that can be treated with natural and allopathic remedies that work against the PCOS mechanism. The present study reviews previous studies on the treatment of PCOS using natural drugs.

METHODS

The data in this study were collected from articles published in reputable databases including ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, and SID in the field of medicinal plants from 1990 to 2021.

RESULTS

A review of the literature showed that plants such as aloe vera and chamomile improve fertility by increasing the number of ovarian follicles. Besides, Vitex agnus-castus and octane reduce hirsutism by reducing testosterone and androgen levels. It was also shown that liquorice, ginseng, cinnamon, and de chiro Inositol improve the adverse effects of diabetes caused by PCOS by lowering lipid and blood glucose levels. Moreover, Stachys lavandulifolia and fennel are effective in changing endometrial tissue parameters in PCOS by reducing estrogen and hyperplasia.

CONCLUSIONS

Various studies have shown that herbal medicines can improve PCOS symptoms in women with minimal side effects but a longer treatment cycle.

Drying-off dairy cows without antibiotic therapy and orally supplemented with lyophilized Aloe arborescens: effects on rumen activity, immunometabolic profile, and milk yield

The drying-off is a stressful stage of the lactation cycle of dairy cows that deeply affects cows' metabolism, inflammatory status, and immune system. The promising effects observed during the transition period resulting from supplementation with Aloe arborescens Mill. suggest its potential utility during this phase. A group of 23 Holstein dairy cows with somatic cell count (SCC) less than 200 × 10³ cells/ml and without intramammary infections were enroled in the study. Cows were divided into two groups: one orally receiving 10 g/day of A. arborescens Mill. lyophilized powder (AL; 11 cows) between -7 and 7 days from dry-off (DFD), and a control group (CTR; 12 cows). From -14 to 7 DFD and 7 and 28 days from calving, the body condition score and rectal temperature were determined, and rumen fluid, feces, milk, and blood samples were collected. Daily rumination times and milk yield were recorded. Data were analyzed through repeated measures mixed models. Compared to the CTR group, AL cows tended to show reduced production of volatile fatty acids in the rumen with acetate proportion that tended to be higher and valerate proportion that was lower. Moreover, Aloe supplementation caused a reduction in fecal dry matter. At the end of drying-off, AL cows presented better liver function, as suggested by higher paraoxonase plasma concentrations at 7 DFD, higher glucose, and lower urea, but showed increased reactive oxygen metabolites. Aloe supplementation at dry-off ameliorated inflammatory status after calving (lower haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin levels), and improved milk yield in the first weeks of subsequent lactation, without influencing milk composition, SCC, and incidence of intramammary infections. These results confirmed the positive effects of Aloe administration on liver function in dairy cows but indicate the need for further studies investigating the effects of Aloe on rumen fermentation profile and oxidative status.

An Exploration of the Effects of an Early Postpartum Intravenous Infusion with Carnosic Acid on Physiological Responses of Transition Dairy Cows

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound found in rosemary plants (Salvia rosmarinus) named carnosic acid during the transition period of dairy cows. From day 1 to 3 after calving, 16 multiparous Holstein cows received a daily intravenous infusion of either 500 mL of saline (NaCl 0.9%; Saline; n = 8) or carnosic acid at a rate of 0.3 mg/kg of BW supplied in 500 mL of saline (CA; n = 8). Blood samples were taken at –7, 2, 5, 7, 14, and 21 d relative to parturition, then analyzed for metabolites related to energy metabolism, muscle mass catabolism, liver function, inflammation, and oxidative stress. CA infusion tended to improve milk performance; however, DMI was unaffected by treatment. At 2 d relative to parturition, CA cows had lower blood concentrations of haptoglobin, paraoxonase, FRAP, and NO₂^– than saline cows. After treatment infusions, haptoglobin remained lower in CA cows than saline at 5 d relative to parturition. Our results demonstrate that carnosic acid promoted positive responses on inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers and may promote beneficial effects on lactation performance in peripartal dairy cows.

Role of nutraceuticals during the transition period of dairy cows: a review

The transition period of dairy cattle is characterized by a number of metabolic, endocrine, physiologic, and immune adaptations, including the occurrence of negative energy balance, hypocalcemia, liver dysfunction, overt systemic inflammatory response, and oxidative stress status. The degree and length of time during which these systems remain out of balance could render cows more susceptible to disease, poor reproductive outcomes, and less efficient for milk production and quality. Studies on both monogastrics and ruminants have reported the health benefits of nutraceuticals (e.g. probiotics, prebiotics, dietary lipids, functional peptides, phytoextracts) beyond nutritional value, interacting at different levels of the animal’s physiology. From a physiological standpoint, it seems unrealistic to disregard any systemic inflammatory processes. However, an alternate approach is to modulate the inflammatory process per se and to resolve the systemic response as quickly as possible.

To this aim, a growing body of literature underscores the efficacy of nutraceuticals (active compounds) during the critical phase of the transition period. Supplementation of essential fatty acids throughout a 2-month period (i.e. a month before and a month after calving) successfully attenuates the inflammatory status with a quicker resolution of phenomenon. In this context, the inflammatory and immune response scenario has been recognized to be targeted by the beneficial effect of methyl donors, such as methionine and choline, directly and indirectly modulating such response with the increase of antioxidants GSH and taurine. Indirectly by the establishment of a healthy gastrointestinal tract, yeast and yeast-based products showed to modulate the immune response, mitigating negative effects associated with parturition stress and consequent disorders.

The use of phytoproducts has garnered high interest because of their wide range of actions on multiple tissue targets encompassing a series of antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, immune-stimulating, rumen fermentation, and microbial modulation effects. In this review, we provide perspectives on investigations of regulating the immune responses and metabolism using several nutraceuticals in the periparturient cow.