ABSTRACT. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of vegetable oils on the antioxidant capacity, blood lipid components and immune responses in chickens raised in hot climate. In a completely randomized design, 300 chicks were assigned to four treatments and five replicates with 15 chicks per each. The highest concentration of malondialdehyde was found in broilers fed palm oil (p < 0.05). Chickens fed corn oil had the lowest and those fed flaxseed oil had the highest antioxidant enzymes activities (p < 0.05). The highest hepatic Alanine-transferase and Aspartate-transferase was found in chickens fed corn oil and the lowest levels in those received flaxseed and olive oils (p < 0.05). The highest hypersensitivity was in chickens fed palm oil and the lowest was for olive oil. The highest antibody titer against sheep red blood cells was found in chickens fed flaxseed oil and the lowest titer was for those received palm oil (p < 0.05). The highest triglyceride, cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein and the lowest high density lipoprotein was found in chickens fed palm oil and vice versa for flaxseed and olive oils. Olive and flaxseed oils had beneficial effects on antioxidant activity and lipid attributes and palm oil had detrimental effects on these parameters that related to the poultry health.

ABSTRACT. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of unsaturated and saturated oils on the performance, hormonal levels and hsp gene expression in broiler chickens exposed to heat stress. 300 one-day male broiler chicks were assigned to 4 treatments (Diets containing palm, corn, linseed or olive oils) with 5 replicates. At day 28 of age, 2 chickens were removed from each replicate, then blood samples and liver tissue samples were collected for analyses. Feeding linseed and olive oil reduced feed conversion ratio compared to corn and palm oils. The lowest level of insulin was for chickens fed linseed oil and corn oil. The highest level of corticosterone was found in chickens fed palm oil and the lowest level was for those received linseed oil. Chickens received linseed and corn oils had the highest levels of T3 and T4 and those fed palm and olive oils had the lowest levels. The highest HSP 70 gene expression was for chickens fed diet containing olive and linseed oils and the lowest one was for those fed corn and palm oils. It was concluded that olive oil and linseed oil could improve performance and heat tolerance of chickens under heat stress.

ABSTRACT. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of in ovo injection of nano-selenium (Nano-Se) and nano-zinc oxide (Nano-ZnO) and high eggshell temperature (EST) during late incubation on blood parameters of broiler hatchlings. A total of 750 fertile eggs, were weighed and randomly distributed among 5 treatment groups on each of 5 replicate tray levels. The injection was performed on 17 d of incubation. Treatments included of: 1) Eggs not injected and incubated at normal EST (control); 2) Eggs not injected and incubated at high EST; 3) Eggs injected NaCl solution and incubated at high EST (sham); 4) Eggs injected NaCl solution containing 40 µg Nano-Se and incubated at high EST; 5) Eggs injected NaCl solution containing 500 µg Nano-ZnO and incubated at high EST. EST of 37.8ºC (normal) or 38.9ºC (high) was applied from d 19 to 21 of incubation. In ovo injection of Nano-Se and Nano-ZnO significantly increased activity of GSH-Px and SOD and total protein, but decreased the levels of corticosterone, cortisol, T4 and T3 at high EST. Injection of Nano-Se and Nano-ZnO had a significant role in alleviating the negative effects of high temperature incubation and heat stress by increased antioxidant activity and reduced oxidative stress.

Inflamação e estresse oxidativo tem importante papel no déficit de memória. O efeito do 7-nitroindazol (7NI) no déficit de memória induzido por lipossacarídeos (LPS) foi investigado. Foram utilizados ratos que foram divididos em quatro grupos e tratados da seguinte maneira: (1) controles (solução salina); (2) LPS; (3) 7NI-LPS; e (4) 7NI antes da esquiva passiva (PA). No grupo LPS, a latência para entrar no compartimento escuro foi mais curta que nos controles (p < 0,01 e p < 0,001); enquanto no grupo 7NI-LPS, a latência foi maior que aquela do grupo LPS (p < 0,01 e p < 0,001). Concentrações de malondialdeído (MDA) e metabólitos do ácido nítrico (NO) no tecido cerebral do grupo LPS foram maiores que aquelas dos controles (p < 0,001 e p < 0,05); enquanto no grupo 7NI-LPS, as concentrações foram menores do que no grupo LPS (p < 0,001 e p < 0,05, respectivamente). O conteúdo cerebral de tiol no grupo LPS foi menos do que nos controles (p < 0,001); enquanto no grupo 7NI-LPS, este conteúdo foi maior que no grupo LPS (p < 0,001). Sugere-se que o dano oxidativo cerebral e o aumento de NO tenham um papel nos efeitos deteriorativos dos LPS na memória de retenção, e que isto possa ser prevenido com o uso de 7NI.

Inflammation and oxidative stress have important roles in memory impairment. The effect of 7-nitroindazole (7NI) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced memory impairment was investigated. Rats were used, divided into four groups that were treated as follows: (1) control (saline); (2) LPS; (3) 7NI-LPS; and (4) 7NI before passive avoidance (PA). In the LPS group, the latency for entering the dark compartment was shorter than in the controls (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001); while in the 7NI-LPS group, it was longer than in the LPS group (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001). Malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) metabolite concentrations in the brain tissues of the LPS group were higher than in the controls (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05); while in the 7NI-LPS group, they were lower than in the LPS group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). The thiol content in the brain of the LPS group was lower than in the controls (p < 0.001); while in the 7NI-LPS group, it was higher than in the LPS group (p < 0.001). It is suggested that brain tissue oxidative damage and NO elevation have a role in the deleterious effects of LPS on memory retention that are preventable using 7NI.

Chemical investigation on the CH2Cl2 fraction of the Scutellaria litwinowii Bornm. & Sint., Lamiaceace, root extract for the first time resulted in the isolation of wogonin, and neobaicalein. These compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity towards HeLa cell lines and lymphocytes. Meanwhile, the role of apoptosis was explored in this toxicity. The cells were cultured in RPMI medium and incubated with different concentrations of isolated flavonoids. Cell viability was quantified by MTS assay. Apoptotic cells were determined using propidium iodide staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry (sub-G1peak). Wogonin, and neobaicalein inhibited the growth of malignant cells in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 values of 46.62 and 79.34 µM were, respectively, found for neobaicalein and wogonin against HeLa cells after 48 h of treatment. Neobaicalein induced a sub-G1 peak in the flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to control cells indicating that apoptotic cell death is involved in neobaicalein toxicity. Neobaicalein exerts cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects in HeLa cell lines and could be considered as a potential chemotherapeutic agent in cancer treatment.