Bee bread, a naturally fermented bee product, could alleviate obesity-related disorders but its protective role against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced ovarian dysfunction has not been studied yet. Thirty-eight Wister albino female rats were divided into control and HFD groups. The control group (n=7) received a normal diet for 14 weeks whereas HFD group was supplemented with 40% HFD for 10 weeks and then subdivided into 4 subgroups that received either HFD or HFD and S. officinalis (300 mg/kg) or HFD and bee bread (0.5 gm/kg) or normal diet for another 4 weeks. Histopathological examination of ovarian tissues was done. The estrus cycle, final body weight, lipid profile, fasting serum glucose, and reproductive hormone levels were investigated. mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in the blood and the ovarian cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1 (CYP17A1), cyclin D1(CCND1) and autophagy-related protein-5 (Atg5) were determined. Immunohistochemical assessment of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors gamma (PPARγ), and caspase-3 was done in all groups. Irregular estrous cycle altered folliculogenesis and reproductive hormones, dyslipidemia, and increased body weight were detected in HFD group. Also, upregulation of NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6 and caspase -3 expressions, and downregulation of CCDN1, Atg5 and PPARγ were observed in HFD group. Bee bread, S. officinalis and to a lesser extent normal diet supplements bee bread improved ovarian dysfunction induced by HFD by inducing autophagy and steroidogenic genes and inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis. Bee bread and S. officinalis could be protective agents against ovarian dysfunction and obesity induced by HFD

This in vitro batch culture study investigated the effects of red osier dogwood (ROD) extract supplementation on gas production (GP), dry matter disappearance (DMD), and fermentation characteristics in high forage (HF) and high grain (HG) diets with varying media pH level. The experiment was a factorial arrangement of treatments in a completely randomized design with 2 media pH (5.8 and 6.5) × 4 dose rates of ROD extract (0, 1, 3, and 5% of DM substrate). An additional treatment of monensin was added as a positive control for each pH level. The HF substrate consisted of 400 and 600 g/kg DM barley-based concentrate and barley silage, respectively, while the HG substrate contained 100 and 900 g/kg DM barley silage and barleybased concentrate, respectively. Treatments were incubated for 24 h with GP, DMD and fermentation parameters determined. No interaction was detected between the media pH level and ROD extract dose rate on GP, DMD and most of the fermentation parameters. The GP, DMD, and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration were greater (P = 0.01) with media pH of 6.5 in both HF and HG diets. The GP were not affected by increasing ROD dose rate, except that GP linearly decreased in the HF (P = 0.04) and HG (P = 0.01) diets at 24 h; the DMD tended to linearly decrease at pH 6.5 (P = 0.06) for both HF and HG diets and at pH 5.8 (P = 0.02) for the HG diet. Adding ROD extract to the HF and HG diets linearly (P = 0.01) increased the acetate molar proportion at high or low media pH and consequently, the acetate to propionate (A:P) ratio linearly (P ≤ 0.04) increased. Supplementation of ROD extract to the HF diet linearly (P = 0.04) decreased the molar proportion of propionate at pH 6.5 (interaction between pH and ROD extract; P = 0.05), but had no effect on propionate proportion when added to the HG diet. Moreover, the proportion of branched-chain fatty acids linearly (P = 0.03) decreased with ROD extract supplementation at low pH (interaction, P < 0.05) for HF diet and linearly decreased (P = 0.05) at pH 6.5 for HG diet (interaction, P < 0.05). The NH3–N concentration was not affected by ROD supplementation in the HF diet but it linearly (P = 0.01) decreased with increasing dose rate in the HG diet. Methane concentration tended to linearly (P = 0.06) increase with ROD extract

This study was designed to assess the role of nano-zinc oxide in mitigating the deleterious effects of heat stress in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) by evaluating parameters such as aggressive behavior (biting frequency and chasing duration), hematological indicators, and stress-related biochemical markers. A total of 96 catfish were divided into four distinct groups (24 fish/group): The first group (CON) served as the control group, receiving a diet free of nano-zinc oxide. The second group (HS) was exposed to heat stress at 35 °C±1 °C. The third group (ZN) was fed a diet containing nano-zinc oxide at 30 mg/kg of the diet, and the fourth group (ZHN) was exposed to heat stress (35 °C±1 °C) and fed a diet containing nano-zinc oxide at 30 mg/kg of the diet. The results clarified that the aggressive behavior and cortisol levels were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the HS group compared to the CON and ZHN groups. Additionally, the level of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was significantly lower (P<0.05) in the HS group compared to the CON and ZHN groups. Meanwhile, a significant (P<0.05) decrease in red blood cells, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, white blood cells, alkaline phosphatase, and lymphocytes, was observed in fish belonging to the HS group, while the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, neutrophils, and monocytes showed a significant increase (P<0.05). Supplementation with nano-zinc oxide significantly recovered most hematological and biochemical parameters. In conclusion, nano-zinc oxide contributed significantly to the regulation of the negative impacts of heat stress on fish by reducing aggressive behavior and cortisol levels. Additionally, it improved the levels of AChE and certain hematological and biochemical parameters.

Schistosomiasis is the second most prevailing parasitic disease worldwide. Although praziquantel is considered an effective drug in the treatment against schistosomiasis to some extent, there is an emerging drug resistance that widely recorded. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective and safe anti-schistosomal drugs. In this study, Cornulaca monacantha (C. monacantha), a sub-saharan plant, was extracted using aqueous ethanol and characterized by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Major constituents of the extract are belonging to flavonoids, tannins and phenolic glycosides. Worms’ viability and surface morphology of Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) adult worms treated with the extract were assessed using in vitro viability assay, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and histological examination. The extract (80–350 μg/ml) reduced viability percentage of worms by 40–60% and caused degeneration of both oral and ventral suckers, tegumental, sub-tegumental and muscular damage. Molecular docking approach was utilized to assess the binding affinities of the extracted compounds with S. mansoni alpha-carbonic anhydrase (SmCA), an essential tegument protein. Pharmacokinetic analysis using SwissADME showed that 7 compounds have high drug similarity. This study confirms the in vitro schistomicidal activity of C. monacantha extract against S. mansoni adult worms and suggests potential SmCA inhibition.