Dietary Curcumin Improves Energy Metabolism, Brain Monoamines, Carcass Traits, Muscle Oxidative Stability and Fatty Acid Profile in Heat-Stressed Broiler Chickens

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the impacts of dietary curcumin supplementation on energy metabolism, brain monoamines and muscle oxidative stability in heat-stressed broilers. In total, 120 day-old chicks were allocated into three equal groups of four replicates. The first group (T1) was maintained on a thermoneutral condition, while the second group (T2) was subjected to 8 h of thermal stress (34 °C), and both groups fed the basal diet with no supplement. The third group (T3) was exposed to the same thermal stress conditions and fed the basal diet supplemented with curcumin (100 mg kg−1 diet). The dietary curcumin supplementation significantly increased the breast yield (p = 0.004), but reduced the percentage of abdominal fat (p = 0.017) compared with the T2 group. The addition of curcumin to broiler diets significantly improved the levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in breast and thigh muscles compared with the T2 group (p < 0.05). The curcumin-supplemented group showed significantly lower levels of malondialdehyde in the breast and thigh muscles than that of the T2 group (p = 0.001 and 0.015, respectively). The dietary curcumin supplementation significantly improved the levels of ATP and CoQ10 in liver tissues (p = 0.012 and 0.001, respectively) and brain serotonin (p = 0.006) as compared to the T2 group. Meanwhile, the heat-stressed group showed significantly higher levels of ADP and Na,K-ATPase in the liver tissues than that of the other experimental groups (p = 0.011 and 0.027, respectively). It could be concluded that dietary curcumin supplementation may improve carcass yield, energy biomarkers, brain serotonin and muscle oxidative stability of heat-stressed broiler chickens.

Antidepressant-like Effects of Polygonatum humile Fisch via Serotonergic System in Mouse Model: Involvement of the Serotonin Subunit 6 Receptor

Polygonatum humile Fisch is commonly called Sookjuk in Korea. The roots of P. humile are typically used in traditional medicine as an anti-rheumatic, demulcent, and sedative agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of the P. humile extracts to treat depression. Mice were administered P. humile water extract (PH) and were subjected to the forced swim test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), and open-field test (OFT). The levels of brain monoamines including serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine, and dopamine were evaluated. In addition, the PH antidepressant-like effects were studied based on the regulation of 5-HT-mediated Ca2+ and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in human 1321N1 cells stably expressing the 5-HT subunit 6 receptor (5-HT6). In FST and TST, PH (300 mg/kg) significantly reduced the immobility time without changing the locomotor activity in mice. In addition, PH enhanced the level of 5-HT in the mice brain. The results further indicated an inhibitory activity of PH on both the 5-HT6 receptor expression level and the 5-HT6 receptor dependent downstream signal pathway ERK1/2.These findings indicated antidepressant-like effects of PH as evidenced by decreased immobility time in mice through a 5-HT6 receptor antagonistic mechanism.

Embryonic Thermal Manipulation Affects Ventilation, Metabolism, Thermal Control and Central Dopamine in Newly Hatched and Juvenile Chicks

The first third of incubation is critical for embryonic development, and environmental changes during this phase can affect the physiology and survival of the embryos. We evaluated the effects of low (LT), control (CT), and high (HT) temperatures during the first 5 days of incubation on ventilation (V.E), body temperature (Tb), oxygen consumption (V.O2), respiratory equivalent (V.E/V.O2), and brain monoamines on 3-days-old (3d) and 14-days-old (14d) male and female chickens. The body mass of LT animals of both ages and sexes was higher compared to HT and CT animals (except for 3d males). The heart mass of 14d HT animals was higher than that of CT animals. Thermal manipulation did not affect V.E, V.O2 or V.E/V.O2 of 3d animals in normoxia, except for 3d LT males V.E, which was lower than CT. Regarding 14d animals, the HT females showed a decrease in V.E and V.O2 compared to CT and LT groups, while the HT males displayed a lower V.O2 compared to CT males, but no changes in V.E/V.O2. Both sexes of 14d HT chickens presented a greater Tb compared to CT animals. Thermal manipulations increased the dopamine turnover in the brainstem of 3d females. No differences were observed in ventilatory and metabolic parameters in the 3d animals of either sexes, and 14d males under 7% CO2. The hypercapnic hyperventilation was attenuated in the 14d HT females due to changes in V.O2, without alterations in V.E. The 14d LT males showed a lower V.E, during hypercapnia, compared to CT, without changes in V.O2, resulting in an attenuation in V.E/V.O2. During hypoxia, 3d LT females showed an attenuated hyperventilation, modulated by a higher V.O2. In 14d LT and HT females, the increase in V.E was greater and the hypometabolic response was attenuated, compared to CT females, which resulted in no change in the V.E/V.O2. In conclusion, thermal manipulations affect hypercapnia-induced hyperventilation more so than hypoxic challenge, and at both ages, females are more affected by thermal manipulation than males.

Phyllathin From Phyllanthus Amarus Ameliorates Epileptic Convulsion and Kindling Associated Post-Ictal Depression in Mice via Inhibition of NF-κB/TLR-4 Pathway

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic, complex, unprovoked, and recurrent disorder of the nervous system that affected several people worldwide. Phyllanthus amarus (PA) has been documented to have neuroprotective potential. Aim: To evaluate the potential of standardized extract of PA and its possible mechanism of action against the Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced convulsion and kindling associated post-ictal depression in experimental mice. Materials and Methods: Phyllathin was isolated from methanolic extract of PA and well-characterized using HPTLC, ESI-MS/MS, and LC/MS. Phyllathin containing a standardized extract of PA (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) was administered in convulsed and kindled mice, followed by an assessment of various parameters. Results: The spectral analysis confirmed the molecular formula and weight of phyllanthin as C24H34O6 and 418.2342 Da. PA (100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated PTZ-induced ( p < 0.05) duration, onset of tonic-clonic convulsion, and mortality in mice. It also significantly attenuated ( p < 0.05) PTZ-induced kindling in mice. Alteration in brain GABA, dopamine, and glutamate, Na+K+ATPase, Ca+2-ATPase activities, and oxido-nitrosative stress in kindled mice was significantly restored ( p < 0.05) by PA treatment. It also significantly ( p < 0.05) down-regulated brain mRNA expressions of NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-1β, COX-2, and TLR-4. Histological aberrations induced by PTZ in the brain of a kindled rat was significantly ( p < 0.05) ameliorated by PA. Conclusion: Phyllanthin containing a standardized extract of PA exerts its antiepileptic potential via balancing excitatory (glutamate) and inhibitory (GABA) brain monoamines, voltage-gated ion channels (Na+K+/Ca+2-ATPase) and inhibition of NF-κB/TLR-4 pathway to ameliorate neuroinflammation (TNF-α, IL-1β, and COX-2) in experimental mice.

Chronic social defeat stress: Impacts on ethanol-induced stimulation, corticosterone response, and brain monoamine levels

Background: Chronic exposure to stress may dysregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and brain monoamine levels, contributing to the development of ethanol dependence. Exposure to chronic social defeat stress may impact ethanol-related effects, neural, and endocrine functions. Aim: This study assessed ethanol-induced locomotor activity, corticosterone responses, and brain monoamine levels in Swiss albino mice 10 days post-exposure to chronic social defeat stress. Methods: During a period of 10 days, male Swiss mice were exposed to daily defeat episodes, followed by housing with an aggressive mouse for 24 h. Control mice were housed in pairs and rotated every 24 h. Ten days post-stress, locomotor behavior was recorded after a challenge with ethanol (2.2 g/kg; intraperitoneal) or saline. After the test, blood and brain samples were collected for determination of plasma corticosterone and brain monoamines across different brain areas through high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: Defeated mice failed to show a stimulant locomotor response to ethanol, while controls displayed the expected ethanol-induced stimulation. Ethanol increased plasma corticosterone levels, with lower corticosterone secretion in defeated mice. Brain monoamines were affected by social defeat and ethanol, varying in different brain regions. Social stress reduced levels of dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin in the hypothalamus. Defeated mice presented reduced serotonin and dopamine levels in the frontal cortex. In the striatum, ethanol treatment increased dopamine levels in controls, but failed to do so in defeated mice. Conclusions: Our results suggest that chronic exposure to social defeat blunted ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation, and reduced ethanol-induced corticosterone secretion. Social stress promoted differential reductions in brain monoamine levels in the hypothalamus and frontal cortex and blunted ethanol-induced dopamine increases in the striatum.