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The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of grape residue flour (GRF) in the diet of suckling lambs would improve their health and consequently enhance their growth. We used 48 lambs, 30 days of age divided into four treatments with four repetitions each, with each repetition consisting of three animals. The groups were identified as follows: G-0%, used as a control (without GRF) and G-0.5%, G-1% and G-2% referring to treatment with grape residue flour in doses of 0.5%, 1%, and 2% of inclusion in the concentrate, respectively. Lambs in groups G-1% and G-2% had higher final body weights, weight gain and average daily gain (ADG) compared to the other groups. GRF dietary supplementation had good antioxidant potential, being able to stimulate glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity and consequently reduce levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lambs that consumed the highest dose of GRF (G-2%). GRF supplementation improved humoral responses, with increased serum levels of heavy-chain and light-chain immunoglobulins; however, there was a reduction in serum ceruloplasmin levels in these lambs. We observed higher concentrations of glucose and triglycerides in lambs in the 2% group. There were lower lymphocyte counts in lambs that received GRF. Lambs supplemented with the highest doses of GRF (G-1% and G-2%) had lower total bacterial counts in the feces. We conclude that the use of GRF in the supplementation of suckling lambs improved animal health, as it stimulated the antioxidant and immune systems and consequently favored their growth.

Infection is one of the main complications that hinder wound healing. Currently, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as Methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), are a concern worldwide for both humans and animals. Maggot therapy is re-emerging as an alternative to intractable wounds and may be an option to the traditional antibiotic treatment. Although the species of choice is Lucilia sericata, reports of clinical use have led us to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using Lucilia cuprina larvae on induced infected wounds in Wistar rats. In short, 32 male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: Group I - saline solution treated; Group II - antibiotic-treated; Group III - treated with larval debridement, and Group IV - without wound and treatment. Skin wounds were induced in groups I, II and III. All treatments were performed once and held for 48 h. Clinical, microbiological, histopathological, hematological, and biochemical analyses were done. Significant wound area contraction was found (95%) in group III on day 9 compared to day 15 in group II. Complete elimination (0.0 ± 0.0 CFU/mL) of bioburden was achieved after the second treatment (day 6) in both the II and III groups, compared to an increase in Group I (6.51 ± 0.37 CFU/mL). A cleaner wound was also observed in the histopathological evaluation of group III, with adequate collagen formation and re-epithelialization on day 15. Furthermore, larvae increased blood platelet levels after the first treatment. L. cuprina larvae have proven safe and effective in accelerating wound treatment and eliminating MRSA.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the inclusion of silymarin in broiler feed was able to mitigate the adverse effects of mycotoxin on growth performance, health status, liver oxidative stress, and meat fatty acid profiles. A completely randomized design with four treatments, four repetitions, and 15 chicks per repetition was used, with the following groups: (a) feed without additives (NoMyc-NoSil), (b) feed supplemented with silymarin (NoMyc-Sil), (c) feed contaminated with mycotoxin (Myc-NoSil), and (d) feed contaminated with mycotoxin and supplemented with silymarin (Myc-Sil). Growth performance, intestinal and liver health, and meat quality were assessed. The consumption of feed contaminated with mycotoxin delayed weight gain and increased the feed conversion ratio; however, the addition of silymarin prevented these adverse effects on the chicken industry. Serum ALT activity was higher in Myc-NoSil broilers than in other groups. Intake of silymarin in healthy birds increased serum globulin concentration and reduced albumin concentration and ALT and AST serum activities compared to the Myc-NoSil group. The NoMyc-Sil birds had greater villus heights and crypt depths. Luminosity and water loss by cooking were affected by mycotoxin ingestion, changes that did not occur in the meat of birds that were supplemented with silymarin. The sum of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in the meat did not change among treatments, unlike the sum of polyunsaturated fatty acids higher in the meat of birds that consumed silymarin. We conclude that silymarin is a potential additive in broiler feed; it reduces impairment of growth performance at the end of the productive cycle, prevents oxidative stress, improves meat quality, and increases polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. CD affects people worldwide, primarily in tropical areas. The central nervous system (CNS) is an essential site for T. cruzi persistence during infection. The protozoan may pass through the blood–brain barrier and may cause motor and cognitive neuronal damage. Once in the CNS, T. cruzi triggers immune responses that the purinergic system can regulate. Treatment for CD is based on benznidazole (BNZ); however, this agent has negative side-effects and is toxic to the host. For this reason, we investigated whether resveratrol (RSV), a potent antioxidant and neuroprotective molecule, would modulate purinergic signaling and RSV alone or in combination with BNZ would prevent changes in purinergic signaling and oxidative damage caused by T. cruzi. We infected mice with T. cruzi and treated them with RSV or BNZ for 8 days. Increases in ATP and ADP hydrolysis by NTPDase in the total cortex of infected animals were observed. The treatment with RSV in infected group diminished ATP, ADP, and AMP hydrolysis compared to infected group. The combination of RSV + BNZ decreased AMP hydrolysis in infected animals compared to the INF group, exerting an anti-inflammatory effect. RSV acted as a neuroprotector, decreasing adenosine levels. Infected animals presented an increase of P2X(7) and A(2A) density of purine receptors. RSV reduced P2X(7) and A(2A) and increased A1 density receptors in infected animals. In addition, infected animals showed higher TBARS and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels than control. RSV diminished ROS levels in infected mice, possibly due to antioxidant properties. In short, we conclude that resveratrol could act as a neuroprotective molecule, probably preventing inflammatory changes caused by infection by T. cruzi, even though the mice experienced high levels of parasitemia.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the inclusion of silymarin in broiler feed was able to mitigate the adverse effects of mycotoxin on growth performance, health status, liver oxidative stress, and meat fatty acid profiles. A completely randomized design with four treatments, four repetitions, and 15 chicks per repetition was used, with the following groups: (a) feed without additives (NoMyc-NoSil), (b) feed supplemented with silymarin (NoMyc-Sil), (c) feed contaminated with mycotoxin (Myc-NoSil), and (d) feed contaminated with mycotoxin and supplemented with silymarin (Myc-Sil). Growth performance, intestinal and liver health, and meat quality were assessed. The consumption of feed contaminated with mycotoxin delayed weight gain and increased the feed conversion ratio; however, the addition of silymarin prevented these adverse effects on the chicken industry. Serum ALT activity was higher in Myc-NoSil broilers than in other groups. Intake of silymarin in healthy birds increased serum globulin concentration and reduced albumin concentration and ALT and AST serum activities compared to the Myc-NoSil group. The NoMyc-Sil birds had greater villus heights and crypt depths. Luminosity and water loss by cooking were affected by mycotoxin ingestion, changes that did not occur in the meat of birds that were supplemented with silymarin. The sum of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in the meat did not change among treatments, unlike the sum of polyunsaturated fatty acids higher in the meat of birds that consumed silymarin. We conclude that silymarin is a potential additive in broiler feed; it reduces impairment of growth performance at the end of the productive cycle, prevents oxidative stress, improves meat quality, and increases polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, infecting the heart, intestines and liver tissues. There is growing evidence that oxidative stress, defined as a persistent imbalance between highly oxidative compounds and antioxidant defenses, is a marker of tissue inflammation; it is related to immune responses such as damage, as well as to strand breaks in DNA contributing to disease progression. Antioxidant agents help mitigate the damage caused by inflammation, preventing or slowing damage to cells caused by free radicals. In this sense, resveratrol (RSV) is an important polyphenol that demonstrates antioxidant effects. It reverses damage caused by several infectious diseases. The aim of the present study was to determine whether treatment with RSV would prevent or minimize oxidative damage caused by T. cruzi. The animals were divided into four groups (n = 5): A) control; B) control + RSV; C) infected and D) infected + RSV. The infected groups received 1 x 104 Y strain trypomastigotes via intraperitoneal injection; after confirmation of infection, the mice received RSV 100 mg/kg for seven days orally. On the 8th day post-infection, we collected liver tissue for analysis of oxidant/antioxidant status: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione s-transferase (GST) activities, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS), non-protein thiols (NPSH), thiols, carbonyl protein, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), and finally, the nitrite/nitrate ratio (NOx) levels were determined. The administration of RSV did not exert direct effect on parasitemia. The infection produced high levels of TBARS, NOx, and ROS levels in liver tissue, suggesting cellular injury with production of free radicals in animals infected by T. cruzi. RSV positively modulated SOD and aumenting GST activities enzymes in infected animals. Protein thiols levels in infected animals were lower than those of control. Taken together, the data suggest T. cruzi causes hepatic oxidative stress, and RSV 100 mg/kg for seven days it's dosen't seem minimized these negative effects in the acute phase of disease.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of curcumin (free and encapsulated) to chick feed would minimize the negative effects on health and performance caused by daily intake of fumonisin. We used 50 birds, divided into five treatments: CP, basal diet with 600 mg/kg of fumonisin, with antibiotic and coccidiostatic agent; CU, 600 mg/kg of fumonisin and 50 mg/kg of curcumin; NC5, feed with 600 mg/kg of fumonisin and 5 mg of nano-curcumin/kg of feed; NC10, feed with 600 mg/kg of fumonisin and 10 mg of nano-curcumin/kg of feed; and CN, fumonisin-free diet, with antibiotic and coccidiostatic. We measured weights, weight gain, and serum biochemistry, as well as antioxidant and oxidant activities. Lower body weight and weight gain were observed in chicks that received feed with fumonisin; curcumin did not minimize this negative effect. Lower glucose and triglyceride levels were also observed in the NC10 group, while the highest cholesterol levels were observed in all groups of birds that consumed fumonisin compared to the CN group. Uric acid levels were significantly lower in CP than in CN. Levels of liver enzymes were higher in CP than in CN. The highest levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were found in CP and CU, whereas ROS was higher in CU compared to CN. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly lower in CP, while glutathione S-transferase activity was higher in the CP group. Catalase activity was lower in groups of birds that consumed fumonisin compared to CN. Taken together, these findings suggest that intake of curcumin-loaded nanocapsules (10 mg/kg) had hepaprotective and antioxidant effects in chicks artificially intoxicated with fumonisin, minimizing the negative effects caused by this mycotoxin.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a phytogenic feed additive (PFA) based on essential oils such as carvacrol, thymol and cinnamic aldehyde, could be considered a replacement for antimicrobials used as growth promoters in broiler chickens, as well as to investigate its effect on total bacterial count, biochemical profiles, meat quality and meat fatty acid profile. A total of 240 broiler chicks were randomly distributed into 4 groups with 4 replicates of 15 animals each, as follow: T1 (basal diet only; the control group), T2 (basal diet supplemented with zinc bacitracin), T3 (basal diet with 0.5% of the PFA), T4 (basal diet with 1.0% of the PFA). The addition of 0.5% of the PFA improved live body weight of supplemented birds compared to the control group at 35 and 42 days of age, while the total bacterial count in the environment was reduced when 1.0% of the PFA was used. In addition, intestinal villi height and crypt depth suffered variations during the entire experiment in birds treated with both concentrations of the PFA and zinc bacitracin. Total erythrocyte counts were higher on days 14, 28 and 42 in both treated groups (PFA) compared to the control group, as well as hemoglobin content on days 28 and 42. On the other hand, leukocyte counts were lower on days 14, 28 and 42 due to reduced lymphocyte counts in both PFA treated groups compared to the control group. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were lower in broilers fed with either concentration of PFA on day 14 of life, and the same was observed regarding aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in broiler treated with 0.5% of the PFA. Also, total protein and globulin levels were lower on days 14 and 28 in groups fed with phytogenic compared to the control group. Regarding meat quality, breast meat showed higher red intensity and shear force in groups fed with both concentrations of phytogenic compared to the control group, while weight loss by cooking was lower. Finally, 1.0% of phytogenic showed lower docosadienoic acid (C22:2) content in breast meat. In conclusion, results showed that the use of PFAs based on carvacrol and thymol may be considered an interesting alternative to increase broilers performance, replacing the use of antimicrobials as growth promoters, as well as an interesting alternative to reduce the total bacterial count in the environment of broiler chickens. Moreover, the diet containing phytogenic also showed hepaprotective effects but deserves attention regarding possible alterations on the immune response.

The widespread use of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory has been more and more prominent. In spite of the proven pharmacological potential, its collateral effects are still being described. The fish oil is made of acids fatty polyunsaturated, as the omega 3. The aim of this paper is to check if there would be interference of this fish oil in the gut microbiota of rats when treated with dexamethasone and amoxicillin, joining with the parameter lipids and glycemic. This study was done with 42 Wistar rats, divided into 6 groups with 7 animals each: naive (CTL), amoxicillin (AMOX), dexamethasone (DEX), fish oil (OLP), associated amoxicillin and fish oil (AMOX + OLP) association dexamethasone and fish oil (DEX + OLP). The results show that the fish oil influenced in the concentration of blood glucose in the animals, keeping stable levels even after a pool of glucose. Differently, the fish oil increased the levels of LDL in the animals. The amoxicillin changed the mass of liver and spleen, changed the levels of triglyceride and changed the gut microbiota. The dexamethasone influenced the lipids parameters and mass of the spleen as well as it slightly increased the amount of cholesterol LDL. It is possible to conclude that fish oil increases the levels of LDL in the tested model and the dose tested, but is able to maintain glucose levels even after a pool of the same, and can be a preventive model with hyperglycemia.

Glycerol monolaurate (GML) is composed of lauric acid and glycerol. Research has shown that such organic acids can minimize negative effects caused by mycotoxins. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether adding GML (free or encapsulated) to chick feed minimizes the effects of natural contamination by fumonisin (Fusarium verticillioides), evaluating parameters such as biochemistry, antioxidant properties, histological analysis and chick growth. Were weighed 84 chicks of the Cobb 500 strain and randomly distributed them into six groups of two replicates each (n = 14). The F group consumed feed containing fumonisin (levels 400 ppb), with no performance enhancer; F + ZB- feed with fumonisin (levels 400 ppb) + zinc bacitracin; F + GLM100 - feed with fumonisin (levels 400 ppb) + 100 mg of GML/kg of feed; F + NGLM4 - feed with fumonisin (levels 400 ppb) + 4 mg GML/kg in nanocapsules added to the feed; F + NGLM8 - fumonisin feed (levels 400 ppb) + 8 mg GML/kg in nanocapsules in the feed; and F0 - fumonisin-free feed (negative control) + zinc bacitracin. The body weights of birds fed with feed fumonisin-contaminated feed (F, F + ZB, F + GLM100, F + NGLM4 and F + NGLM8) were significantly lower (P 0.05) than those of the negative control (F0), despite the use of GML (free and nanoencapsulated). Serum levels of triglycerides, globulins and cholesterol were significantly lower in the F0 group than in the other groups (P 0.05), except for the F + NGLM8 group. Significantly greater levels of lipid peroxidation were observed in livers in the groups that consumed fumonisin than in the control group (F0) (P 0.05). Serum levels of reactive oxygen species were significantly lower in groups F + NGLM8 and F0 than in the other treatments (P 0.05). Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly greater in groups F + NGLM8 and F0 than in groups F, F + ZB and F + NGLM4. Hepatic catalase activity was significantly lower in birds that consumed contaminated feed (F, F + ZB, F + GLM100, F + NGLM4 and F + NGLM8) than in the control group (F0). Greater hepatic glutathione S-transferase activity was observed in the F + NGLM8 group than in the F0 group. Despite changes in cellular lesions in the liver, no histological changes were observed in the liver or intestines, even though visually there was yellowing of the liver. Taken together, the data suggest that free or nano-encapsulated GML did not minimize oxidative stress caused by fumonisin, and consequently, these birds had less weight gain.

The central nervous system of the intermediate host plays a central role in lifelong persistence of Toxoplasma gondii as well as the pathogenesis of congenital toxoplasmosis and reactivated infection in immunocompromised individuals. The purinergic system has been implicated in a wide range of immunological pathways for controlling intracellular responses to pathogens, including T. gondii. In the present study, we investigated the effect of resveratrol (RSV) on ectonucleotidases, adenosine deaminase (ADA), and purinergic receptors during chronic infection by T. gondii. For this study, Swiss mice were divided into control (CTL), resveratrol (RSV), infected (INF), and INF+RSV groups. The animals were orally infected with the VEG strain and treated with RSV (100 mg/kg, orally). Ectonucleotidase activities, P2X7, P2Y1, A1, and A2A purinergic receptor density, ROS, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels were measured in the cerebral cortex of mice. T. gondii infection increased NTPDase and reduced ADA activities. Treatment with RSV also affected enzymes hydrolysing extracellular nucleotides and nucleosides. Finally, RSV affected P1 and P2 purinergic receptor expression during T. gondii infection. Overall, RSV-mediated beneficial changes in purinergic signalling and oxidative stress, possibly improving cerebral cortex homeostasis in T. gondii infection.

Background: Changes in purinergic and cholinergic signaling have been demonstrated in various pathologies associated with inflammation; however, the changes in brucellosis caused by the Gram-negative coccobacillus Brucella ovis are not known. B. ovis is generally asymptomatic in sheep. Hepatosplenomegaly has been described in B. ovis, a non-zoonotic species, characterized by an extravascular inflammatory response. Purinergic system enzymes are closely involved with the modulation of the immune system, pro- and anti-inflammatory events. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of ectonucleotidases and cholinesterase’s in the brains of mice experimentally infected with B. ovis . Materials, Methods & Results: Forty-eight animals were divided into two groups: control (n = 24) and infected (n = 24). In group infected, 100 µL containing 1.3 x 10 7 UFC B. ovis /mL via intraperitoneal was used in inoculation. The brains were collected from the animals on days 7, 15, 30 and 60 post-infection (PI). We measured levels of TBARS (substances reactive to thiobarbituric acid) and ROS (reactive oxygen species) in the brain. The activity of NTPDase (using ATP and ADP as substrate) and 5'-nucleotidase (using AMP as substrate) were evaluated in brain in addition to histopathological analysis. No histopathological lesions were observed in the control group nor the infected group at days 7, 15, and 30 PI. However, multifocal areas with moderate microgliosis and inflammatory infiltrates in the cerebral cortex were observed at day 60 PI in the infected animals. B. ovis DNA was detected in brain. During the course of infection, B. ovis caused greater lipid peroxidation in the brains of infected animals than in the control group at day 60 PI. No significant results were observed at 7, 15 or day 30 PI. Similarly, there was significantly more reactive oxygen species at day 60 PI in brains of infected animals than in the control group. NTPDase activity (using ATP and AMP as substrate) was lower at days 7 and 15 PI in infected animals than in control. However, during the course of infection there was an increase in NTPDase activity at day 60 PI in the infected group. The infected animals showed a decrease of 5´-nucleotidase (AMP as substrate) activity at days 7 and 30 PI. On the other hand, 5´-nucleotidase activity was greater on day 60 PI in the experimental group than in the control. The results suggest that nucleotide hydrolysis was low in the acute phase (up to day 30 PI) due to the decrease of NTPDase and 5´-nucleotidase activities. After day 60 PI, there was a reversal in enzyme activities, probably with concomitant increase of extracellular nucleotides. AChE activity in brain on days 30 and 60 PI compared to control. Discussion: Among the functions of NTPDase are inhibition of platelet aggregation, vascular homeostasis, modulation of inflammation and immune response, all via its regulation of extracellular concentrations of ATP, a pro-inflammatory molecule. E-NTPDase plays an important role in controlling lymphocyte function, including antigen recognition and activation of cytotoxic T cell effector functions, as well as the generation of signals. The enzyme E-5´-nucleotidase also exerts non-enzymatic functions, including induction of intracellular signaling and mediation of cell-cell adhesion and cell-matrix and migration. Levels of acetylcholine are regulated by cholinesterase enzymes that are present in cholinergic and noncholinergic tissues, as the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a membrane-bound enzyme, primarily found in the brain and cholinergic neurons, where it participates in the structural regulation of postsynaptic differentiation. The results demonstrated that the chronicity of infection by B. ovis causes oxidative damage and inflammation in the brain, as well as modulation of ectonucleotidases and AChE activities.

Trypanosoma evansi appears to have a significant tropism for brain tissue in its chronic and acute phases. The most common symptoms of this brain infection are motor incoordination, meningoencephalitis, demyelination, and anemia. There have only been few studies of the effects of T. evansi infection on neuronal differentiation and brain plasticity. Here, we investigated the impact of the congenital T. evansi infection on brain development in mice. We collected telencephalon-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from T. evansi uninfected and infected mice, and cultivated them into neurospheres. We found that T. evansi significantly decreased the number of cells during development of neurospheres. Analysis of neurosphere differentiation revealed that T. evansi infection significantly increased neural migration. We also observed that T. evansi promoted expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in infected cells. These data suggest that congenital T. evansi infection may affect embryonic brain development.

Chagas disease (CD) affecting about 7 million people is caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. The central nervous system (CNS) is an important site for T. cruzi persistence in the host during the chronic phase of infection, because the protozoan may pass the blood-brain barrier and may cause motor and cognitive neuronal damage. Thinking about avoiding or minimizing these negative effects, it is hypothesized that resveratrol (RSV), a component with several medicinal properties has beneficial effects on the CNS. The objective of this study was to investigate, whether T. cruzi infection interferes with neurogenesis and gliogenesis of embryos of infected mice females, and whether RSV would be able to avoid or minimize these changes caused by CD. RSV is a polyphenol found in grapes and widely studied for its neuroprotective and antioxidant properties. In addition, we investigated the role caused by the parasite during congenital infection and CNS development. Embryos and their brains were PCR-positive for T. cruzi. For this study, NPCs obtained from telencephalon of infected and uninfected embryos and were cultured in presence of resveratrol for forming neurospheres. The results demonstrated that the congenital transmission of T. cruzi influences CNS formation and neural fate, decreasing the number of neuroespheres and causing an elongation in the phases of the cell cycle. In addition, the parasite promoted an increase in neugliogenesis. Resveratrol was neuroprotective and prevented negative effects of the infection. Thus, we suggest the use of resveratrol as a therapeutic target for the treatment of neuroinflammation or as neuroprotective agent during Chagas disease, as it improves gliogenesis and restores neural migration.

The enzymatic activities of NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) are important in regulating the concentration of adenine nucleotides, molecules known to be involved on platelet aggregation. Fasciolosis causes coagulation disorders that have not been completely elucidated. Taking into consideration the association between the purinergic system and hemostasis, this study aimed to evaluate the enzymatic activities of NTPDase (hydrolyze ATP and ADP), 5'-nucleotidase (hydrolyze AMP) and ADA (deamination of adenosine) in platelets from cattle experimentally infected by Fasciola hepatica on days 20, 40, 60 and 80 post-infection (PI). For this study, 10 healthy Friesian steers were separated into two groups: the group A (n = 5) was used as uninfected control, and the group B was composed of steers experimentally infected by F. hepatica (n = 5). The number of platelets did not differ between groups in the periods evaluated. Reduction of NTPDase (p 0.05) hydrolysing ATP (days 20, 40 and 60 PI), and ADP (days 40, 60 and 80 PI), and on 5'-nucleotidase hydrolyzing AMP (days 40 and 60 PI) was observed. A reduction (p 0.05) in ADA activity on day 20 PI, as well as an increase (p 0.05) in ADA activity on days 40 and 60 PI was observed when compared to the control. Based on these results, we can conclude that ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis and adenosine deamination were altered in platelets of cattle infected by F. hepatica. Considering the importance of the purinergic system in hemostasis, it is believed that those changes may contribute to the coagulation impairment observed in acute fasciolosis described in the literature.