Background： Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostfidium perffingens infection leads to serious economic losses in the global poultry production. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of essential ...Background： Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostfidium perffingens infection leads to serious economic losses in the global poultry production. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of essential oils （EO, which contained 25 % thymol and 25 % carvacrol as active components） supplementation on growth performance, gut lesions, intestinal morphology, and immune responses of the broiler chickens infected with C. perfringens. A total of 448 1-day-old male broiler chicks were allocated into eight treatment groups following a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement with four dietary EO dosages （0, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg） and two infection status （with or without C. perfringens challenge from d 14 to 20）. Results： The challenge did not impair the growth performance of birds, but induced gut lesions and increased crypt depth in the ileum （P ≤ 0.05）. It also down-regulated the claudin-1 and occludin mRNA expression （P ≤0.05）, up-regulated the mRNA expression of interleukin-113 （P≤ 0.05）, tended to increase the toll-like receptor （TLR） 2 mRNA expression （P 〈 0.10） in the ileum, and enhanced the mucosal secretory IgA production （P 〈 0.05）. In the challenged birds, dietary EO supplementation linearly alleviated the gut lesions and improved the ratio of villus height to crypt depth （P ≤0.05）, and the supplementation of 120 and 240 mg/kg EO increased the serum antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus （P≤ 0.05）. Regardless of challenge, the EO supplementation showed a tendency to linearly elevate the feed conversion efficiency between 14 and 28 d of age as well as the occludin mRNA expression （P〈 0.10）, and linearly inhibited the mRNA expression of TLR2 and tumor necrotic factor-o in the ileum （P≤ 0.05）. Conclusions： The dietary supplementation of EO could alleviate the intestinal injury by improving intestinal integrity and modulating immune responses in the C. perffingens-challenged broiler chickens.展开更多
The phytochemical progress on Angelica sinensis(Oliv.) Diels over the past decades is summarized. Since 1970 s, 165 chemical constituents, including phthalides, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids and essential oils, aromati...The phytochemical progress on Angelica sinensis(Oliv.) Diels over the past decades is summarized. Since 1970 s, 165 chemical constituents, including phthalides, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids and essential oils, aromatic compounds, alkaloids, alkynes, sterols, fatty acids, and polysaccharides have been isolated or detected from the various parts of the title plant.展开更多
This review article summarizes the efficacy, feasibility and potential mechanisms of the application of essential oils as antibiotic alternatives in swine production.Although there are numerous studies demonstrating t...This review article summarizes the efficacy, feasibility and potential mechanisms of the application of essential oils as antibiotic alternatives in swine production.Although there are numerous studies demonstrating that essential oils have several properties, such as antimicrobial, antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects, feed palatability enhancement and improvement in gut growth and health, there is still a need of further investigations to elucidate the mechanisms underlying their functions.In the past,the results has been inconsistent in both laboratory and field studies because of the varied product compositions, dosages, purities and growing stages and conditions of animals.The minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) of essential oils needed for killing enteric pathogens may not ensure the optimal feed intake and the essential oils inclusion cost may be too high in swine production.With the lipophilic and volatile nature of essential oils, there is a challenge in effective delivery of essential oils within pig gut and this challenge can partially be resolved by microencapsulation and nanotechnology.The effects of essential oils on inflammation, oxidative stress, microbiome, gut chemosensing and bacterial quorum sensing(QS) have led to better production performance of animals fed essential oils in a number of studies.It has been demonstrated that essential oils have good potential as antibiotic alternatives in feeds for swine production.The combination of different essential oils and other compounds(synergistic effect) such as organic acids seems to be a promising approach to improve the efficacy and safety of essential oils in applications.High-throughput systems technologies have been developed recently,which will allow us to dissect the mechanisms underlying the functions of essential oils and facilitate the use of essential oils in swine production.展开更多
Perilla frutescens(Perilla leaf), a garnishing vegetable in East Asian countries, as well as a plant-based medicine, has been used for centuries to treat various conditions, including depression. Several studies have ...Perilla frutescens(Perilla leaf), a garnishing vegetable in East Asian countries, as well as a plant-based medicine, has been used for centuries to treat various conditions, including depression. Several studies have demonstrated that the essential oil of P. frutescens(EOPF) attenuated the depressive-like behavior in mice. The present study was designed to test the anti-depressant effects of EOPF and the possible mechanisms in an chronic, unpredictable, mild stress(CUMS)-induced mouse model. With the exposure to stressor once daily for five consecutive weeks, EOPF(3, 6, and 9 mg·kg-1) and a positive control drug fluoxetine(20 mg·kg-1) were administered through gastric intubation to mice once daily for three consecutive weeks from the 3rd week. Open-field test, sucrose consumption test, tail suspension test(TST), and forced swimming test(FST) were used to evaluate the behavioral activity. The contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIAA), in mouse hippocampus were determined by HPLC–ECD. Serum interleukin(IL)-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α levels were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The results showed that CUMS significantly decreased the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the hippocampus, with an increase in plasma IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels. CUMS also reduced open-field activity, sucrose consumption, as well as increased immobility duration in FST and TST. EOPF administration could effectively reverse the alterations in the concentrations of 5-HT and 5-HIAA; reduce the IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels. Moreover, EOPF could effectively reverse alterations in immobility duration, sucrose consumption, and open-field activity. However, the effect was not dose-dependent. In conclusion, EOPF administration exhibited significant antidepressant-like effects in mice with CUMS-induced depression. The antidepressant activity of EOPF might be related to the relation between alteration of serotonergic responses and anti-inflammatory effects.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the effect of enalapril on plasma homocysteine(Hcy) levels and the association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) C677T polymorphism with the changes of Hcy levels in response to en...Objective:To investigate the effect of enalapril on plasma homocysteine(Hcy) levels and the association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) C677T polymorphism with the changes of Hcy levels in response to enalapril among patients with essential hypertension.Methods:A total of 130 patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension were enrolled and enalapril was orally administered at a dose of 10 mg/d for eight weeks.Plasma Hcy levels were measured by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC) at baseline and after eight weeks of treatment.Genotyping of MTHFR C677T polymorphism was performed by TaqMan probe technique.Results:Compared with baseline,plasma Hcy levels did not change significantly after eight weeks(P=0.81).Stratified by baseline Hcy levels,a significant increase in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.02) among those with Hcy <10 μmol/L was observed,in contrast to no significant changes in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.54) among those with Hcy ≥10 μmol/L.No significant association was observed between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril.Conclusions:Enalapril may cause an increase in plasma Hcy levels among the hypertensives with low baseline Hcy levels.There was no significant association between MTHFR C677T genotypes and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril among subjects with essential hypertension.展开更多
Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial infections.However, a selective pressure gave rise to bacteria resistant to antibiotics.This leaves scientists worried about the danger to human and animal health.Some strategie...Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial infections.However, a selective pressure gave rise to bacteria resistant to antibiotics.This leaves scientists worried about the danger to human and animal health.Some strategies can be borrowed to reduce the use of antibiotics in chicken farms.Much research has been carried out to look for natural agents with similar beneficial effects of growth promoters.The aim of these alternatives is to maintain a low mortality rate, a good level of animal yield while preserving environment and consumer health.Among these, the most popular are probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes,organic acids, immunostimulants, bacteriocins, bacteriophages, phytogenic feed additives, phytoncides,nanoparticles and essential oils.展开更多
In the past two decades, an intensive amount of research has been focused on the development of alternatives to antibiotics to maintain swine health and performance. The most widely researched alternatives include pro...In the past two decades, an intensive amount of research has been focused on the development of alternatives to antibiotics to maintain swine health and performance. The most widely researched alternatives include probiotics, prebiotics, acidiflers, plant extracts and neutraceuticals such as copper and zinc. Since these additives have been more than adequately covered in previous reviews, the focus of this review will be on less traditional alternatives. The potential of antimicrobial peptides, clay minerals, egg yolk antibodies, essential oils, eucalyptus oil-medium chain fatty acids, rare earth elements and recombinant enzymes are discussed. Based on a thorough review of the literature, it is evident that a long and growing list of compounds exist which have been tested for their ability to replace antibiotics as feed additives in diets fed to swine. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these compounds produce inconsistent results and rarely equal antibiotics in their effectiveness. Therefore, it would appear that research is still needed in this area and that the perfect alternative to antibiotics does not yet exist.展开更多
A study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial activities of essential oil from Artemisiae argyi leaves. The sample of the essential oil was analyzed by GC-MS. From 18 compounds representing the oils, Eucalypto...A study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial activities of essential oil from Artemisiae argyi leaves. The sample of the essential oil was analyzed by GC-MS. From 18 compounds representing the oils, Eucalyptole （18.42%）, Spathulenol （14.32）, 4-Methyl-1-（1-methylethyl）-3-cyclohexen-1-ol （3.10%）, 3-Carene （2.64%） appeared as the main components. The screening of antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was evaluated using agar diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Gram-positive bacterial were more sensitive than gram-negative bacterial of the 8 microorganisms, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 showed the lowest MIC （0.3125%） and MBC （0.625%）. In the disc diffusion assay, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 49134 and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 showed obvious inhibitory activity. Survival curve showed that, 2MIC ofArtemisiae argyi essential oil had a lethal effect on Candida albicans within the first 1 h. Results presented here suggest that the essential oil of Artemisiae argyi leaves possesses antimicrobial properties, and provides scientific foundations for exploition ofArtemisiae argyi.展开更多
基金supported by Novus International Company (Missouri, USA)the earmarked fund for China Agricultural Research Systems (CARS-42)
文摘Background： Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostfidium perffingens infection leads to serious economic losses in the global poultry production. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of essential oils （EO, which contained 25 % thymol and 25 % carvacrol as active components） supplementation on growth performance, gut lesions, intestinal morphology, and immune responses of the broiler chickens infected with C. perfringens. A total of 448 1-day-old male broiler chicks were allocated into eight treatment groups following a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement with four dietary EO dosages （0, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg） and two infection status （with or without C. perfringens challenge from d 14 to 20）. Results： The challenge did not impair the growth performance of birds, but induced gut lesions and increased crypt depth in the ileum （P ≤ 0.05）. It also down-regulated the claudin-1 and occludin mRNA expression （P ≤0.05）, up-regulated the mRNA expression of interleukin-113 （P≤ 0.05）, tended to increase the toll-like receptor （TLR） 2 mRNA expression （P 〈 0.10） in the ileum, and enhanced the mucosal secretory IgA production （P 〈 0.05）. In the challenged birds, dietary EO supplementation linearly alleviated the gut lesions and improved the ratio of villus height to crypt depth （P ≤0.05）, and the supplementation of 120 and 240 mg/kg EO increased the serum antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus （P≤ 0.05）. Regardless of challenge, the EO supplementation showed a tendency to linearly elevate the feed conversion efficiency between 14 and 28 d of age as well as the occludin mRNA expression （P〈 0.10）, and linearly inhibited the mRNA expression of TLR2 and tumor necrotic factor-o in the ileum （P≤ 0.05）. Conclusions： The dietary supplementation of EO could alleviate the intestinal injury by improving intestinal integrity and modulating immune responses in the C. perffingens-challenged broiler chickens.
基金supported by the National Science & Technology Supporting Program for the 12th Five-year Plan(2011BAI05B02)the National Training Program of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Undergraduates(201210731022)
文摘The phytochemical progress on Angelica sinensis(Oliv.) Diels over the past decades is summarized. Since 1970 s, 165 chemical constituents, including phthalides, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids and essential oils, aromatic compounds, alkaloids, alkynes, sterols, fatty acids, and polysaccharides have been isolated or detected from the various parts of the title plant.
基金supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) (CRDPJ 503580-16) Collaborative Research and Development Grants (C.Yang)the University of Manitoba Start-Up Grant (46561)+1 种基金Manitoba Pork Council (47370)Jefo Nutrition Inc (47369)
文摘This review article summarizes the efficacy, feasibility and potential mechanisms of the application of essential oils as antibiotic alternatives in swine production.Although there are numerous studies demonstrating that essential oils have several properties, such as antimicrobial, antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects, feed palatability enhancement and improvement in gut growth and health, there is still a need of further investigations to elucidate the mechanisms underlying their functions.In the past,the results has been inconsistent in both laboratory and field studies because of the varied product compositions, dosages, purities and growing stages and conditions of animals.The minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) of essential oils needed for killing enteric pathogens may not ensure the optimal feed intake and the essential oils inclusion cost may be too high in swine production.With the lipophilic and volatile nature of essential oils, there is a challenge in effective delivery of essential oils within pig gut and this challenge can partially be resolved by microencapsulation and nanotechnology.The effects of essential oils on inflammation, oxidative stress, microbiome, gut chemosensing and bacterial quorum sensing(QS) have led to better production performance of animals fed essential oils in a number of studies.It has been demonstrated that essential oils have good potential as antibiotic alternatives in feeds for swine production.The combination of different essential oils and other compounds(synergistic effect) such as organic acids seems to be a promising approach to improve the efficacy and safety of essential oils in applications.High-throughput systems technologies have been developed recently,which will allow us to dissect the mechanisms underlying the functions of essential oils and facilitate the use of essential oils in swine production.
基金supported by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutionsthe Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China(No.BK2011630)
文摘Perilla frutescens(Perilla leaf), a garnishing vegetable in East Asian countries, as well as a plant-based medicine, has been used for centuries to treat various conditions, including depression. Several studies have demonstrated that the essential oil of P. frutescens(EOPF) attenuated the depressive-like behavior in mice. The present study was designed to test the anti-depressant effects of EOPF and the possible mechanisms in an chronic, unpredictable, mild stress(CUMS)-induced mouse model. With the exposure to stressor once daily for five consecutive weeks, EOPF(3, 6, and 9 mg·kg-1) and a positive control drug fluoxetine(20 mg·kg-1) were administered through gastric intubation to mice once daily for three consecutive weeks from the 3rd week. Open-field test, sucrose consumption test, tail suspension test(TST), and forced swimming test(FST) were used to evaluate the behavioral activity. The contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIAA), in mouse hippocampus were determined by HPLC–ECD. Serum interleukin(IL)-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α levels were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The results showed that CUMS significantly decreased the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the hippocampus, with an increase in plasma IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels. CUMS also reduced open-field activity, sucrose consumption, as well as increased immobility duration in FST and TST. EOPF administration could effectively reverse the alterations in the concentrations of 5-HT and 5-HIAA; reduce the IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels. Moreover, EOPF could effectively reverse alterations in immobility duration, sucrose consumption, and open-field activity. However, the effect was not dose-dependent. In conclusion, EOPF administration exhibited significant antidepressant-like effects in mice with CUMS-induced depression. The antidepressant activity of EOPF might be related to the relation between alteration of serotonergic responses and anti-inflammatory effects.
文摘Objective:To investigate the effect of enalapril on plasma homocysteine(Hcy) levels and the association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) C677T polymorphism with the changes of Hcy levels in response to enalapril among patients with essential hypertension.Methods:A total of 130 patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension were enrolled and enalapril was orally administered at a dose of 10 mg/d for eight weeks.Plasma Hcy levels were measured by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC) at baseline and after eight weeks of treatment.Genotyping of MTHFR C677T polymorphism was performed by TaqMan probe technique.Results:Compared with baseline,plasma Hcy levels did not change significantly after eight weeks(P=0.81).Stratified by baseline Hcy levels,a significant increase in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.02) among those with Hcy <10 μmol/L was observed,in contrast to no significant changes in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.54) among those with Hcy ≥10 μmol/L.No significant association was observed between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril.Conclusions:Enalapril may cause an increase in plasma Hcy levels among the hypertensives with low baseline Hcy levels.There was no significant association between MTHFR C677T genotypes and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril among subjects with essential hypertension.
文摘Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial infections.However, a selective pressure gave rise to bacteria resistant to antibiotics.This leaves scientists worried about the danger to human and animal health.Some strategies can be borrowed to reduce the use of antibiotics in chicken farms.Much research has been carried out to look for natural agents with similar beneficial effects of growth promoters.The aim of these alternatives is to maintain a low mortality rate, a good level of animal yield while preserving environment and consumer health.Among these, the most popular are probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes,organic acids, immunostimulants, bacteriocins, bacteriophages, phytogenic feed additives, phytoncides,nanoparticles and essential oils.
文摘In the past two decades, an intensive amount of research has been focused on the development of alternatives to antibiotics to maintain swine health and performance. The most widely researched alternatives include probiotics, prebiotics, acidiflers, plant extracts and neutraceuticals such as copper and zinc. Since these additives have been more than adequately covered in previous reviews, the focus of this review will be on less traditional alternatives. The potential of antimicrobial peptides, clay minerals, egg yolk antibodies, essential oils, eucalyptus oil-medium chain fatty acids, rare earth elements and recombinant enzymes are discussed. Based on a thorough review of the literature, it is evident that a long and growing list of compounds exist which have been tested for their ability to replace antibiotics as feed additives in diets fed to swine. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these compounds produce inconsistent results and rarely equal antibiotics in their effectiveness. Therefore, it would appear that research is still needed in this area and that the perfect alternative to antibiotics does not yet exist.
文摘A study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial activities of essential oil from Artemisiae argyi leaves. The sample of the essential oil was analyzed by GC-MS. From 18 compounds representing the oils, Eucalyptole （18.42%）, Spathulenol （14.32）, 4-Methyl-1-（1-methylethyl）-3-cyclohexen-1-ol （3.10%）, 3-Carene （2.64%） appeared as the main components. The screening of antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was evaluated using agar diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Gram-positive bacterial were more sensitive than gram-negative bacterial of the 8 microorganisms, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 showed the lowest MIC （0.3125%） and MBC （0.625%）. In the disc diffusion assay, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 49134 and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 showed obvious inhibitory activity. Survival curve showed that, 2MIC ofArtemisiae argyi essential oil had a lethal effect on Candida albicans within the first 1 h. Results presented here suggest that the essential oil of Artemisiae argyi leaves possesses antimicrobial properties, and provides scientific foundations for exploition ofArtemisiae argyi.
