ABSTRACT Yucca schidigera Ortgies, Asparagaceae, is a herbaceous plant. Due to the high saponin content the powdered branches and leaves are used as natural food additive for human and animal. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Y. schidigera extracts on plasma leptin, ghrelin, adiponectin, insulin, thyroid hormones and some biochemical parameters in mice fed a high-fat diet. Male Swiss Albino mice were divided into seven equal groups. Group I (negative control group) was given standard diet; Group II was given high-fat diet; Group III was given high-fat diet with carboxymethylcellulose; Groups IV–VII were given hexane, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of Y. schidigera and high-fat diet via gastric gavage for 60 days. High-fat diet significantly increased plasma leptin, insulin, free T3 hormone, glucose, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triacylglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels, and significantly decreased plasma ghrelin, adiponectin and free T4 hormone levels. On the other hand, hormone levels, lipid profile and biochemical parameters were improved by the administration of the PE extract. Y. schidigera extracts could be used as preventive medicine in nutritional disorders via regulating energy metabolism and hormonal functions.

RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo é determinar amilóide A (SAA) da concentração sérica nos casos de pneumonia, pneumoenterites e enterite, que são frequentemente encontrados em bezerros em medicina veterinária. Apesar de uma grande quantidade de estudos experimentais terem sido realizados neste campo, os estudos sobre animais com infecção natural são muito poucos. 80 vitelos com a idade de 0-6 meses de idade foram utilizados no estudo e os animais foram divididos em quatro grupos. Devido ao exame clínico, os bezerros diagnosticados com pneumonia (Grupo P; n=20), com pneumoenterites (Grupo PE; n=20) e com enterite (Grupo E; n=20) formaram o grupo de doença, como as saudáveis, formando o grupo controle (Grupo C; n=20). Após as temperaturas corporais de todos os bezerros, foram tomadas amostras de sangue que foram obtidas de veia jugular para medições hematológicas e bioquímicas. Como hematológica, glóbulos brancos (WBC), glóbulos vermelhos (RBC), hemoglobina (Hb) e hematócrito (HCT) foram realizados em Hematologia Veterinária Analyzer. O soro amilóide-A (SAA), a interleucina 1 (IL-1β), interleucina 6 (IL-6), fator de necrose tumoral (TNF-α) medidas de concentração foram efectuadas com um leitor de ELISA, utilizando kits comerciais. Aspartato aminotransferase (AST), alanina aminotransferase (ALT), albumina (ALB), bilirrubina total (T. Bil), proteína total (TP), gama glutamiltransferase (GGT), ureia (BUN) às medições das concentrações foram realizadas em auto-analisador por utilizandos kits comerciais. Em todos os grupos de doenças (P, PE, e E), a temperatura corporal, parâmetros hematológicos (WBC, RBC, Hb e Hct), parâmetros bioquímicos de soro (AST, ALT, ALB, T. Bil, TP, GGT e BUN), a concentração SAA e as concentrações séricas de citocinas (IL-1β, IL-6 e TNF-α) foram determinadas a ser mais elevadas em comparação com o grupo controle (P<0,005). De acordo com estas descobertas, a medição rotineira da concentração de soro SAA em medicina veterinária é considerada benéfica para determinar a gravidade da doença, na selecção de um tratamento adequado, no seguimento do tratamento aplicado e para a detecção de doenças subclínicas. À luz desses resultados, reconhecemos que as medições de rotina da concentração SAA soro do momento em que os bezerros são diagnosticadas com pneumonia, enterite e pneumoenterites em medicina veterinária, até que a causa real seja determinada (bactérias, vírus, parasitas, etc.), seria aproveitar o clínico, a fim de identificar a gravidade da doença, além de seleccionar o tratamento adequado e monitorar a eficácia do tratamento.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to determine serum amyloid-A (SAA) concentration in the cases of pneumonia, pneumoenteritis, and enteritis which are frequently encountered in calves in veterinary medicine. Although a great deal of experimental studies has been conducted in this field, studies on naturally infected calves are quite few. Eighty calves at the age of 0-6 months were used in the study and the calves were divided into four groups. Due to the clinical examination, the calves diagnosed with pneumonia (Group P; n=20), with pneumoenteritis (Group PE; n=20) and with enteritis (Group E; n=20) formed the disease group as the healthy ones formed the control (Group C; n=20) group. After the body temperatures of all calves were taken, blood samples were obtained from Jugular vein for haematological and biochemical measurements. As haematological, white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) measurements were performed in Veterinary Hematology Analyzer. Serum amyloid-A (SAA), interleukin 1 (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentration measurements were carried out with ELISA reader by using commercial kits. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (T. Bil), total protein (TP), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration measurements were conducted in autoanalyzer by using commercial kits. In all disease groups (P, PE, and E) body temperature, haematologic parameters (WBC, RBC, Hb and Hct), serum biochemical parameters (AST, ALT, ALB, T. Bil, TP, GGT and BUN), SAA concentration and serum concentrations of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) were determined to be higher in comparison to the control group (P<0.005). According to these findings, routine measurement of serum SAA concentration in veterinary medicine is considered to be beneficial in determining the severity of the disease, in selecting the proper treatment, in monitoring the applied treatment, and detecting subclinical diseases. In the light of these findings we acknowledge that routine measurements of serum SAA concentration from the moment the calves are diagnosed with pneumonia, enteritis and pneumoenteritis in veterinary medicine until the actual cause is determined (bacteria, virus, parasites, etc.) would avail the clinician to, identify the severity of the disease, select the appropriate treatment and monitor the effectiveness of the treatment.