Effects of dietary supplementation of myco-fabricated zinc oxide nanoparticles on performance, histological changes, and tissues Zn concentration in broiler chicks.

A five weeks biological experiment was planned to investigate the impacts of dietary supplementation with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) synthesized by the endophytic fungus Alternaria tenuissima on productive performance, carcass traits, organ relative weights, serum biochemical parameters, histological alteration in some internal organs and concentration of this element in the serum, liver, thigh and breast muscle in broiler chicks. A total of 108 3-day-old commercial broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were individually weighed and equally distributed in a completely randomized design arrangement according to the dose of ZnONPs supplementation into 3 dietary experimental groups. There were 6 replications having 6 birds per replicate (n = 36/ treatment) for each treatment. The three experiential dietary treatments received corn-soybean meal-based diets enhanced with 0 (control), 40 and 60 mg/kg diet of ZnONPs respectively with feed and water were provided ad libitum consumption through 5 weeks life span. Present results indicated that after 5 weeks of feeding trial and as compared to control, the ZnONPs supplementation groups recorded higher body weight, improved feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and performance index. Serum biochemical analyses revealed that serum cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein and uric acid decreased significantly, while high density lipoprotein and liver enzyme concentrations were increased significantly. Meanwhile, zinc accumulation in serum, liver and breast and thigh muscle were linearly increased with increasing zinc supplementation. It could be concluded that supplementation of ZnONPs to broiler diet at 40 or 60 mg/kg improved productive performance, birds' physiological status and the lower levels Zn (40 mg/kg diet) revealed promising results and can be used as an effective feed additive in broilers.

Efficacy of some synthesized thiazoles against dermatophytes.

Twelve thiazoles and their fused derivatives were tested for their antimicrobial activity against Trichophyton rubrum, T. terrestre, Epidermophyton floccosum, and Microsporum gypseum. Most of the synthesized compounds were inhibitory to the tested fungi. The most effective compound was 5-(4-ethoxybenzylidene-4,5-dihydro-4-oxothiazol-2-yl)-N,3-diphenylbut-2-namide (3c) followed by 2-(4-oxo-4,5-dihydrothiazol-2-yl)-3-phenyl-but-2-enoic acid-(3-cyano-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-amide (2b). These compounds were more efficacious than terbinafine, the reference drug. The tested compounds caused variable reduction in the activity of keratinase of the dermatophytes, depending on the azole derivative and the test fungus. Thiazole derivatives (2b) and (3c) exhibited the highest efficacy in decreasing ergosterol biosynthesis of the tested dermatophytes. The treatment of guinea pigs with compound (3c) induced complete curing in the case of all the test dermatophytes 30days post-treatment. The percent curing for compounds (3c) and (2b) was better than the reference drug.