ABSTRACT
Background: artemisinin is commonly used for the treatment of malaria, but recently has been considered as a potential substance to control poultry coccidiosis
Objectives: the aim of the present study was to determine the tissue distribution of artemisinin following single or multiple oral administration of different doses in broiler chickens
Methods: a total number of 390 one day old Ross broiler chicks were divided randomly into two main groups, in the first group 0, 1, 5, 25, 125, 250, 500 or 1000 mg/kg artemisinin as a single oral dose was administered on day 44, but the second group were treated with 0, 17, 34, 68 or 136 ppm artemisinin from day 8 to day 44. The HPLC system was used to determine the level of artemisinin in different tissue samples. Data were assessed using one way analysis of variance [ANOVA] followed by the Tukey's test [p<0.05]
Results: maximum concentrations of artemisinin were found in the liver of chickens in both groups in a dose dependent manner. While, the minimum level was determined in the brain and the kidney of chickens received multiple artemisinin administration; in the spleen of those chickens a single oral dose was administered. The concentration of artemisinin in the brain reached a plateau at 68 ppm in multiple administrations and 125mg/kg at single dose, no shift was found with dose increment
Conclusions: it can be concluded that tissue accumulation of artemisinin is time and dose dependent. Moreover, redistribution, saturation effect and tissue selectivity were also observed
ABSTRACT
The Thyroid gland with two symmetrical lobes has an important role in metabolism of the body and regulating of calcium. Any factor making structural and hormonal changes in this gland can produce metabolic disorders. To investigate the functional changes of the thyroid gland following coadministration of soy extract and Vitamin D3, 42 mature female mice in 7 groups were studied for 35 days. Two doses of soy extract [5 and 10 g/kgBW/day]; two doses of Vitamin D3 [100 and 200 micro g/kgBW/day]; and, a combination of both soy extract and Vitamin D3 with two doses were fed to each mouse by gavage. At the end of the feeding trial, following anesthetizing by diethyl ether, mice were bled. Serum levels of calcium were determined by method Colorimetry, and serum concentrations of T3, T4, TSH were determined by method Radio Immuno Assay. Data was statistically analyzed by the one way ANOVA test and significant differences were observed between groups [p<0.001]. Results showed the occurrence of a dose-dependent hypothyroidism in mice receiving only soy extract. In mice receiving only vitamin D3, significant and dose dependent increases of calcium levels, significant and dose-dependent decreases of TSH levels and, insignificant decreases in serum concentrations of T3 and T4 were observed. Finally, groups receiving a combination of high doses of soy extract and Vitamin D3, showed hypothyroidism. In conclusion, this study suggests that co-administration of soy extract and Vitamin D3, only in low doses, can balance the effects of individual use of these components on thyroid function and calcium homeostasis