The Effects of Various Levels of Boron Supplementation on the Performance and Some Plasma Mineral and Metabolites of Wethers

Evaluation of Boron's Adjuvant Activity in Inactive Bacterin Vaccines Using the Mice Model

Vaccination is the most effective, reliable, and economical way of preventing or reducing the effect of infectious diseases. When preparing inactive vaccines, a range of additives called adjuvants are necessary to enhance the magnitude of the immune response. Boron has a wide range of industrial and medical applications, and its positive effects on distinct functions have been described in plants, humans, and animals. However, no studies exist about the possible adjuvant activities of boron compounds in vaccines. Hence, in this study, the potential adjuvant effect of boric acid was explored and compared with common veterinary adjuvants in a mice model. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) used as vaccine antigen was isolated from dairy cows with bovine mastitis. Vaccines adjuvanted with boric acid, aluminum hydroxide, Montanide ISA 50 and ISA 206, and Montanide + boric acid combinations were prepared. The efficacy of vaccines was evaluated according to local reactions at the injection site, C-reactive protein, total Ig G, total Ig M, and anti-S. aureus antibody levels in mice. Boric acid reduced local inflammatory reactions induced by the Montanide adjuvants. Moreover, mice vaccinated with boric acid-adjuvanted vaccine had higher levels of anti-S. aureus antibody than those in the controls (P < 0.05) and were similar to the levels found in mice sensitized with aluminum hydroxide. Total Ig G and Ig M results were, however, unsuitable for the assessment of adjuvant activity for this study. In conclusion, this study revealed that boric acid has an adjuvant potential in inactive bacterin vaccines, but further target animal studies are needed.

Boron supplementation in peripartum Murrah buffaloes: The effect on calcium homeostasis, bone metabolism, endocrine and antioxidant status

BACKGROUND

Calcium homeostasis and immuno-endocrine system undergoes drastic changes in peripartum dairy animals and failure to adapt these physiological changes causes major impact on animal health as well as productivity. Boron (B), a newer trace element, influences calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg) metabolism as well as immune system by manipulating several hormones or enzyme systems. Present study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary B supplementation on Ca homeostasis, bone metabolism, endocrine and antioxidant status in peripartum Murrah buffaloes.

METHODS

Thirty advanced pregnant Murrah buffaloes (8th month pregnant) were allocated into three groups based on their most probable producing ability (MPPA) and parity (n = 10 in each group) viz. B0, B200 and B400 and supplemented with 0, 200 and 400 ppm of B in the form of boric acid. Blood samples were collected at periodic intervals (-45, -30, -21, -15, -7, 0, 7, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 day relative to expected date of calving) and analysed for minerals concentration, hormonal profile, bone health biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Boron supplementation at 200 and 400 ppm increased (p < 0.05) plasma Ca, Mg and osteocalcin (OCN) concentration during postpartum stage. Higher (p < 0.05) levels of plasma 25-hydroxy vitamin D₃ were observed in both B supplemented groups as compared to B unsupplemented group irrespective of physiological stages. Plasma parathyroid hormone (PTH) and cortisol levels were lower (p < 0.05) in both B supplemented groups than B unsupplemented group, especially during postpartum stage. Whereas, plasma ferric reducing total antioxidant power (FRAP) activity was found to be higher (p < 0.05) in B supplemented groups as compared to B unsupplemented group. Furthermore, antioxidant enzymes (erythrocytic superoxide dismutase; SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase; GPx), plasma level of total immunoglobulins (TIg), bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) remained unaffected by dietary B supplementation. Overall, it can be concluded that supplementation of B at 200 ppm in the diet of peripartum Murrah buffaloes helped to induce metabolic adaptations for improving Ca homeostasis, bone metabolism and antioxidant status without much additional benefits at higher level used in the present study.

The effects of various levels of boron supplementation on live weight, plasma lipid peroxidation, several biochemical and tissue antioxidant parameters of male mice**: Effects of boron on performance, antioxidant and some metabolits of mice

In this study, live weight, live weight gain, plasma GPx, GR, LDH, ALT activities, triglyceride, total protein, albumin and LPO levels, also liver and brain SOD and GPx activities were investigated after administration of boron (0.10, 0.20 and 0.30 mg/day) into male mice with drinking water for 60 days. Blood albumin and triglyceride levels were not affected with boron (p > 0.05) where triglyceride levels, with increasing amounts of boron, displayed a slight decrease within the normal ranges. From the antioxidant-oxidant balance parameters, LPO and GR levels were not affected from boron, where GPx activity was increased significantly (p < 0.001) comparing the groups of boron and control. LDH and ALT activities were affected significantly (p < 0.001) with decreased ALT and increased LDH levels with increasing amounts of boron. In regards of liver and brain GPx and SOD activities, significant increases were determined. Liver GPx and SOD activities were increased within the groups with the increasing amount of boron, where in brain, SOD (p < 0.05) was affected significantly but GPx (p > 0.05) displayed a gradual insignificant increase. As regards live weight gain, a gradual increase was determined during experimental period, but only the 45th day, the increase was statistically significant (p < 0.05). It is suggested that, new studies on the effects of different doses and compounds of boron in laboratory animals in regards of antioxidant and metabolic effects may be helpful for the understanding of the subject.

Influence of boron supplementation on performance, immunity and antioxidant status of lambs fed diets with or without adequate level of calcium

Little is known about biological significance of effects of dietary Boron (B) and Calcium (Ca) interaction on health and production of farm animals. This is a preliminary investigation to evaluate the effects of B supplementation in lambs fed diets with (normal) or without adequate (low) levels of Ca. Twenty-four crossbred ram lambs were randomly distributed into four groups with six animals each in a 2x2 factorial design namely, normal-Ca diet (NCa) and low-Ca diet (LCa) fed without or with 40 ppm B (NCaB-40 and LCaB-40). The lambs were fed paddy straw and hybrid napier hay-based total mixed ration (60 roughage: 40 concentrate) during 180 days experimental period. Compared to control, the LCa diet lowered (P<0.01) average daily gain of lambs, but B-supplementation (LCaB-40) of the same nullified the effect. The lowered (P<0.05) total antioxidant activity and humoral immune response in lambs fed LCa diet were restored (P>0.05) to become at par with the control (NCa) upon supplementation of B (LCaB-40). The mRNA expression of SOD1 was lowered (P<0.05) due to LCa diet feeding which too was normalized on B-supplementation to become at par (P>0.05) with the control (NCa). Further, B-supplementation restored lowered (P<0.05) SOD1 gene expression on LCa diet, but enhanced (P<0.05) that in NCaB-40 group, when compared to the control (NCa) diet fed animals. However, these variations were not reflected in the SOD activity in the erythrocytes. The cell-mediated immune response was higher (P<0.05) in lambs fed LCa and LCaB-40 groups and there was no significant interaction between the levels of either Ca or B in diets with the period of immune response measurement. B- supplementation of LCa diet ameliorated tissue degenerative changes in liver and kidney. It was concluded that feeding LCa diet to lambs resulted in reduced growth rate, total antioxidant activity, humoral immune response along with degenerative changes in liver and kidney tissues, but B-supplementation of such diet restored most of these changes and ameliorated histopathological alterations.