Effect of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) extract in antioxidant status and intestinal morphology of pulmonary hypertensive chickens.

OBJECTIVES: The effects of dietary sage on the growth performance, antioxidant status, intestinal mucosa morphology, and pulmonary hypertensive response were investigated in broiler chickens with pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: Chicks (Ross 308) were reared under cold stress for 35 days and treated with 0.05% vitamin C (positive control) and 0 (control), 0.1 or 0.2% sage extracts, then performance, oxidant and antioxidant status, and intestinal morphology were evaluated. RESULTS: The index of pulmonary hypertension (RV:TV) was decreased, and weight gain (days 22-35) was increased in all treatments (except for sage 0.1%) compared with control (P < 0.05). Lipid peroxidation was decreased, whereas the activity of antioxidant enzymes (GPX, CAT, and SOD) was increased in the sage 0.2% group compared with control (P < 0.05). In the lung, SOD, CAT, and GPX transcripts were decreased in the sage 0.2% group compared with control (P < 0.05). In the right ventricle of the heart, SOD and CAT transcripts were increased in the sage 0.2% group compared with other groups of chickens, whereas GPX transcript was decreased (P < 0.05). The jejunal villus length in the chickens fed sage was significantly lower than in control (P < 0.05). The ileal villus width, villus surface area, and lamina proporia thickness in the chickens fed sage (0.2%) were increased compared with control (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary supplementation of sage (0.2%) could modulate pulmonary hypertensive response, improve antioxidant status (enzymatic activity), intestinal morphometry, and absorptive surface in the broiler chickens.

Sericin Ameliorates the Capacitation State and Chromatin Integrity of Frozen-Thawed Stallion Spermatozoa by Reducing Oxidative Stress.

BACKGROUND: In the process of sperm cryopreservation, apart from cryoinjury, the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) can adversely affect the integrity of chromatin and cellular membranes. Addition of natural antioxidants to freezing medium is an approach to reduce the destructive effects of ROS on sperm. METHODS: In this study, during 60 min of cooling process, the ejaculates of five stallions were diluted in the following media: INRA 82 medium as Control (C), INRA 82 medium supplemented with 0.25% Sericin (S), INRA 82 medium supplemented with 1.5 mM Glutathione (G), and INRA 82 medium supplemented with 0.25% Sericin+1.5 mM Glutathione (S+G). RESULTS: In the frozen/thawed sericin supplemented group, while the integrity of DNA and the activity of catalase and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) were increased, the lipid peroxidation and midpieceab normality decreased, compared with other groups (p<0.05). The proportions of sperms with abnormal head in group S and the sperm with distal droplet in G and S+G groups decreased, compared with group C (p<0.05). In CTC assay, the percentage of capacitated spermatozoa in treatment groups was lower than control (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the presence of sericin in freezing medium of stallion semen could improve sperm DNA integrity and its resistance to ROS and lipid peroxidation.