Effect of Dietary Incorporation of Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Rhizome Powder as Feed Additive on Growth Performance and Nutrient Utilization in Broiler Chickens

A feeding trial was conducted to discern the effect of dietary incorporation of aniseed and ginger rhizome powder on growth performance and nutrient utilization in commercial broiler chickens. A total of 120, day-old broiler chicks were divided randomly into 4 treatment groups with 3 replicates each i.e. 10 broiler chicks per replicate. The feeding trial lasted for 42 days viz., A metabolism trial was conducted during the 6th week of feeding trial to know the nutrient utilization. During the starter phase, maximum weight gain was recorded in broiler chicks of treatment group T3 (827.70 g) fed diet incorporated with 1.0% ginger rhizome powder followed by treatment groups T1, T2 and T4, however, there was no significant difference in body weight gain amongst the different treatment groups. During finisher phase, the average body weight gain was 1313.50, 1365.32, 1308.20 and 1291.36 g in broiler chicks of treatment groups T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively and did not differ significantly among different groups. During entire feeding trial period (0-42 days), incorporation of aniseed and ginger rhizome powder in the basal diets non-significantly improved growth performance in terms of body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and performance index. The average cumulative body weight gain was 2120.57, 2152.75, 2135.90 and 2064.43 g in broiler chicks of treatment groups T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively and did not differ significantly among different groups. There was no significant difference in nutrient utilization among different treatment groups of broiler chickens

The effects of carbamazepine on sperm morphology in wistar rats.

Carbamazepine (5 H-dibenz (b, f) azepine-5-carboxamide), is an antiepileptic drug which is expected to be administered regularly over a substantial part of patients lifetime. As the gender focus in epilepsy the later years has primarily been on women, there certainly is a lack of studies focused on the effects particular to men. The present study was aimed to investigate its effects on germ cell's by employing the sperm morphology assay. Twelve groups of male wistar rats were treated with sterile water 0.5 ml, cyclophosphamide (CP) 20 mg/kg, carbamazepine 9, 18, 36 mg/kg (i.p) and 2% gumacasia 0.25 ml/100 g respectively for 5 consecutive days at intervals of 24 hrs. Following the last exposure, on days 14 and 35 sperm morphology assay was conducted as per the standard procedure. Mann-Whitney 'U' test was used for statistical analysis and the level of significance was P<0.01. Neither carbamazepine nor cyclophosphamide induced formation of abnormally shaped sperms at 14 day time interval. Whereas on day 35, with 18 mg/kg dose level of carbamazepine there was an increase in the number of sperms with heads defects (P<0.01); Whereas in the other two dose levels the number of abnormally shaped sperms had decreased. 2% gumacasia increased the number of sperms with tail defects at day 35. (Mann-Whitney 'U' test). CONCLUSION: Carbamazepine and 2% gumacasia could be germ cell mutagens and could cause infertility on prolonged use therefore further studies with serum drug level estimations are needed.

L-ascorbic acid ameliorates postnatal endosulfan induced testicular damage in rats.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of L-ascorbic acid on postnatal exposure of endosulfan induced testis damage in the rat. Four groups of seven day old male Wistar rats were treated with 3, 6, 9 and 12 mg/kg endosulfan orally (10 pups/group), from postnatal day 7 to 60 at intervals of 24 h. For 2 more groups (n = 10/group), endosulfan (9 mg/kg and 12 mg/kg) was administered along with L-ascorbic acid (20 mg/kg). The sperm morphology, sperm count and sperm motility was analyzed in all the groups on postnatal day 70. Endosulfan significantly affected the testicular function enhancing the incidence of abnormal spermatozoa, decreasing the sperm count and sperm motility in a dose dependent manner. Abnormalities were of both head and tail and increase in their frequency was more than two-fold of the control value. Sperm count abruptly decreased in 12 mg/kg group and sperm motility decreased up to 50% of the control value. L-ascorbic acid has nullified the toxic effects of the pesticide significantly, but not to the control level. Endosulfan induces the testicular damage following postnatal exposure and L-ascorbic acid prevents the adverse effects considerably in the rat.

Effect of extracts of Murraya koenigii leaves on the levels of blood glucose and plasma insulin in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

The effect of daily oral administration of aqueous extract (600 mg/kg b.wt.) and methanol extract (200 mg/kg b.wt.) of Murraya koenigii Spreng leaves for a period of eight weeks was studied on blood glucose and plasma insulin level in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Blood glucose levels of diabetic rats treated with aqueous and methanol extracts of Murraya koenigii Spreng showed significant reduction (P<0.05) as compared to diabetic control groups. Plasma insulin showed significantly high on 43rd and 58th days of treatment in aqueous and methanol extracts of Murraya koenigii treated groups. This suggests that the hypoglycemic effect may be mediated through stimulating insulin synthesis and/or secretion from the beta cells of pancreatic islets of Langerhans.

Intraosseous course of the inferior alveolar (dental) nerve and its relative position in the mandible.

The present study was planned to evaluate the position of the mandibular foramen (MF) and the course of the inferior alveolar nerve in 12 right and 14 left cadaveric hemimandibles. The soft tissue including the muscle attachments of the mandible was cleaned and the inferior neurovascular bundle was dissected up to the MF. The distances from the MF to the angle, symphysis menti, 3rd molar, and the lower point of the mandibular notch were measured. The bone was chiseled from its lingual surface to expose the mandibular canal. The distances from the nerve to the alveolar and inferior borders were measured. The distance from the MF to different landmarks did not show any side differences except the one to the symphysis menti (P<0.05; Mann-Whitney 'U' test). Similarly the distances from the nerve to the borders also did not show any significant side differences. These data indicate that, on average, MF is located at a symmetrical point on the ramus on either side, although, not exactly at a fixed distance from any landmarks tested. Further, the canals were located either at near to the middle or below near to the base of the mandible. This study concludes that, the location of the MF varies from bone to bone despite its bilateral symmetry. Further, the canal and consequently the nerve do not maintain a constant position in the mandible.

Mechanism of cytotoxicity of ribavirin in the rat bone marrow and testis.

Mechanisms of cytotoxicity of an antiviral drug, ribavirin was studied in the rat bone marrow and testis. Ribavirin at the dose levels of 20, 100 and 200 mg/kg was treated (i.p.) either as single (for bone marrow) or 5 (for testis) treatments. Bone marrow smears were obtained at 24, 48 and 72 h following the exposure and stained with the May-Gruenwald-Giemsa combination. Smears were screened for the incidence of dead cells, and at 24 h, a total of 2000 erythrocytes were counted to obtain the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) to normochromatic erythrocytes (NCEs) (P/N). Step 19 spermatids/stage VII tubule, dividing cells (meiotic figures)/stage XIV tubule and the incidence of tubules with dead cells were counted in periodic acid--Schiff's reaction and haematoxylin (PAS-H) stained testicular sections on days 14, 35, 70 and 105. Significant decrease in the step 19 spermatids and meiotic figures, and increase in the incidence of tubules with dead cells (P < 0.05-0.01) were observed mainly on days 14 and 35. The cell death was observed in the bone marrow mainly at the two higher dose levels and significant decrease (P < 0.001) in P/N ratio was observed. This present study concludes that the cytotoxicity of ribavirin in these two target cell-lines in due to the induction of cell death and prevention of the cell division.

Effect of ribavirin on epididymal sperm count in rat.

Ribavirin (1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-1, 2, 4-triazole-3-Carboxamide) is a potent inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, used widely as an antiviral drug. Although it has been reported as a teratogen, its effect on spermatogenesis is not known. Male Wistar rats were segregated into 24 groups of 5 in each. Six groups were treated with water, 6 groups with 20 mg/kg, another 6 groups with 100 mg/kg and remaining 6 groups with 200 mg/kg for 5 days at intervals of 24 h (i.p.). Animals were anaesthetized at 14, 28, 35, 42, 70 and 105 days following the last exposure, laparatomy was conducted, epididymis was removed, minced in 1 ml phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.2), filtered and stained with 1% aqueous eosin Y. An aliquot was taken in haemocytometer, diluted in PBS and charged into Neubauer's chamber. Spermatozoa were counted in 8 squares except the central, and multiplied by 5 x 10(4). Data were analysed by Mann-Whitney "U" test. Ribavirin significantly decreased the sperm count in a dose and time dependent pattern and showed a recovery by day 105 except at 200 mg/kg. Ribavirin is reversibly cytotoxic to germ cells and decreases the production of spermatozoa.

Effect of ciprofloxacin on specific immune response in rabbits.

Ciprofloxacin (10 mg/kg body weight, iv, twice daily for 4 days) failed to alter specific antibody titres, total immunoglobulin concentration, total serum protein concentration, total leukocyte count, lymphocyte percentage, phagocytic index and skin thickness in DNCB skin sensitivity test against Brucella plain killed antigen in New Zealand White rabbits. It can be concluded that ciprofloxacin at the dose and duration employed did not adversely affect specific immune response in normal rabbits.

Induction of seminiferous tubular atrophy by single dose of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in Wistar rats.

Antimetabolite, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is known to cause testicular damage by epithelial sloughing and cell killing. However, it is not known whether 5-FU induces tubular atrophy and the fate of exfoliated germ cells. Present study was conducted to evaluate these effects of 5-FU on rat testis. Animals were injected, single dose of 5-FU (10.50 & 100 mg/kg, i.p.) and sampled at 1, 3, 15 and 30 day following the treatment. The testes were perfusion fixed by Bouin's fluid. Five micron thick paraffin sections of testes and epididymis were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Slides were examined for the incidence of abnormal tubules (per 200 tubules), tubular diameter (STD), epithelial height (SEH) and for the presence of germ cells in the epididymis. Data were analysed by Mann-Whitney 'U' test. The testes weight, STD, SEH were decreased (P < 0.05-0.01) in treated animals. The abnormal tubules were increased in a dose dependent manner with atrophic tubules seen on 30 d. The exfoliated germ cells have not blocked the post testicular ductal system and found in the epididymis in a dose dependent manner. The present study concludes that 5-FU causes tubular shrinkage and atrophy. Further, epididymis is involved in the phagocytosis of germ cells.

5-fluorouracil (5-FU) induces the formation of giant cells and sloughing of seminiferous epithelium in the rat testis.

The chemotherapeutic agent, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been widely used in the treatment of a variety of cancers. Its effect on the testis has not been substantially studied. Present study was conducted to evaluate the gonadotoxicity of 5-FU in male albino rats. Animals were injected with single dose of 5-FU (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) and sampled on 1, 3, 15 and 30 day post exposure. Animals were anaesthetised, testes were perfusion fixed by Bouin's fluid. Five micron thick paraffin sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Slides were screened for the incidence of partially and extensively sloughed tubules. Data were analysed by Mann Whitney 'U' test. Only 100 mg/kg induced multinucleated cells on 3rd day. All doses of 5-FU induced sloughing of the seminiferous epithelium. Maximum number of partially sloughed tubules were seen on third day. Partial sloughing was not dose dependent except on 15th day. The extensive sloughing was dose dependent except on 30th day. The result indicates that all the doses of 5-FU tested in this study cause sloughing of epithelium and only 100 mg/kg induces the formation of giant cells on third day.