Few studies have investigated the interaction of bioadhesives with biologic tissues for veterinary application. Hence, this study evaluates the mucoadhesive property and vaccine delivery properties of polymers from phytogenic origin. Gums from Cedrela odorata and Khaya senegalensis were harvested, purified, dried and compressed into 500 mg tablets individually and in combined ratios. The time taken for these tablets, placed on freshly excised (5 × 5 cm) trachea and duodenal tissues of cattle, chicken, pig, sheep and goat and fastened to the basket end of a tablet dissolution machine probe set at 50 rev/min in a phosphate buffer 6.8 pH at 37 °C, to fall off the tissue was the peak adhesion time (PAT). Gum with best PAT was combined with Newcastle disease vaccine and the procedure repeated. Haemagglutination assay (HA) was conducted on the gum polymer-vaccine mix with gum and vaccine individually as controls. On intestinal and trachea tissues, Cedrela gum polymer averagely had prolonged PAT (≈1 h 30 min and 1 h respectively) while average PAT values of Khaya gums followed the same trend but too transient PAT (≈6 and 0.3 min respectively). However on combination, Cedrela–Khaya polymer mix (1:1) was best on chicken, cattle and sheep trachea and intestinal tissues (PAT of 1 h 30 min and 2 h 24 min respectively). On combination with vaccine, the PAT of the gums reduced slightly on cattle and sheep tissues while other animal tissue showed varied results. The HA results showed the gum polymer boosted the HA property of the vaccine (Log 105), when compared to vaccine alone (Log 104). Hence, mucoadhesives from phytogenic sources have potential for non-invasive vaccine application.

Following previous studies on delivery potential and immune response of chickens given Newcastle disease vaccine with gums, this study was conducted to evaluate the protective ability of vaccines delivered with plant gums against clinicopathological features of Newcastle disease (ND). Processed gums from incised trunks of Cedrela odorata and Khaya senegalensis trees were combined with ND vaccine in ratio 2:2:1 and administered at 21 days to white leghorn cockerels after weaning of maternal antibodies. The birds were grouped into gum-vaccine-oral (GVOR), vaccine-oral (VOR), gum-vaccine-ocular (GVOC), vaccine-ocular (VOC), gum-oral (GOR), gum-ocular (GOC), no-gum-no-vaccine/challenged (NGNV/C), no-gum-no-vaccine/unchallenged (NGNV/U). Vaccination was boosted with the same preparation at day 42 while birds were challenged with live ND virus (KUDU strain) at day 84. Clinical signs (Dullness, Diarrhoea, Paralysis, Torticollis) Post infection (Pi), terminal weakness, gross and histology lesions were scored on a severity scale from absent (0-), mild (1+) to moderate (2+) and severe (3+). Scores were assigned a quantitative score of 0, 10, 20, 30 respectively. Clinical signs scores for the 5 week Pi were subjected to Friedman test to assess the significance of severity among the groups. The test was significant at 1% significance level which implies that the clinical signs ranked highest in the NGNV/C, followed by the Gum alone groups, the vaccine alone groups and the gum-vaccine groups irrespective of route. Moribund birds subsequently euthanized were seen in the GOR and GOC group at 21% each and at 57% in NGNV/C group alone. No signs were seen in the NVNG/U group. Grossly, mild to moderate lesions were seen in all groups except GVOR and NGNV/U. At histology, pulmonary congestion, acute pneumonia, cecal tonsilar haemorrhages, gliosis and neuronophagia were present at different proportions in all groups except the GVOR and NGNV/U. Overall, lesion severity was least in the gum-vaccine groups while the oral groups had less lesion score compared to the ocular. From this study, phytogenic mucoadhesives polymers used hold immense potential as a delivery agent capable of improving protection against clinicopathologic features of Newcastle disease in previously vaccinated birds.

Lead (Pb) toxicity constitutes a major health hazard to both humans and animals especially in the developing countries. It is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant found in the air essentially because of unregulated mining and other industrial activities. Lead can be found naturally in the soil thus, contaminating crops for human and animal food, as well as run-off water and air pollution. Intensively and extensively reared domestic chickens are exposed to contamination via inhalation and ingestion of contaminated food materials. Naringin, a product from citrus plant has been described to possess excellent metal chelating ability. Naringin is rich in flavonoid with attendant antioxidant, anti-autophagy, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and cardio-nephroprotective properties. This study was conducted to investigate the hepatoprotective and modulation of oxidative stress in commercial cockerel chickens by Naringin. Thirty-six commercial cockerel chickens were randomly assigned into six groups A-F of six birds each viz: Group A served as control group while groups B, C, and D received Lead acetate at 300 ppm via drinking water continuously till the end of the experiment. In addition, groups C and D were treated with Naringin at 80 mg/kg and 160mg/kg, respectively, via oral gavage for 8 weeks. Groups E and F were administered naringin only at 80mg/kg and 160mg/kg respectively for eight weeks. Pb toxicity induced degenerative changes in the histological sections as well as, higher expression of hepatic caspase 3 as shown by immunohistochemistry. There was increased oxidative stress markers (H2O2, MDA) and depletion of the antioxidant defense system markers SOD, GPx, GSH, and GST. It concluded that Co- treatment with Naringin ameliorated oxidative stress, enhanced antioxidant defense system, reduced the expression of hepatic caspase 3 thus, offering protection against lead acetate-induced derangements in the liver of commercial cockerel chickens

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine‐disrupting chemical, and it is mostly used in plastic industries. Naringin is a potent flavonoid that has been reported to possess several beneficial pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the protective effect of naringin against the damage induced by BPA in the brain and testes of commercial chicken. Methods: Thirty‐day‐old cockerel chickens were purchased and reared for 6 weeks and subsequently divided into six groups: group A (control), group B (100 ppm BPA‐treated), group C (BPA and 100 mg/kg naringin‐treated), Group D (BPA and 200 mg/kg naringin‐treated), group E (100 mg/kg naringin‐treated), and group F (200 mg/kg naringin‐treated). BPA was administered via drinking water, while naringin was administered via oral gavage. Analyses such as biochemical assays, hormonal assays, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry were done. Results: The results showed a decrease in the level of LH, FSH, and testosterone, an increase in the level of oxidative stress markers (MDA and H ₂ O ₂ ), and alteration in the levels of enzymatic and non‐enzymatic antioxidants (GSH, GST, SOD, GPx) in the brain and testes of the BPA‐intoxicated group. Histologically, neuronal necrosis and degeneration were observed in the brain, and degeneration of testicular cells was seen in the testes of BPA‐intoxicated chickens. Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed low expression of myelin basic protein in the brain and increased expression of caspase 3 in the testes of the BPA‐intoxicated group. Conclusions: Naringin reversed the neurotoxicity and reproductive toxicity of BPA by normalizing the values of the altered parameters. Hence, naringin ameliorated the deleterious effects caused by BPA in both the brain and testes by enhancing the antioxidant defence mechanism.

L’encéphalomyélite aviaire (AE) est contrôlée par l’apport d’un niveau suffisant d’anticorps maternels chez les poussins. Des épidémies persistantes, malgré la vaccination des reproducteurs dans les élevages de poulets du sud-ouest du Nigeria, ont incité les auteurs à évaluer les taux d’anticorps contre le virus AE dans des troupeaux de reproducteurs et de leur progéniture. Cinq troupeaux de reproducteurs de poulets prévaccinés (troupeaux A, B, C, D et E) ont été sélectionnés à Ibadan, Etat d’Oyo, et Mowe, Etat d’Ogun. Des échantillons sanguins ont été prélevés sur quinze reproducteurs de chaque troupeau ainsi que sur leurs poussins âgés de 1, 7 et 14 jours, et les sérums ont été soumis à l’épreuve d’hémagglutination passive. La variation des titres, la moyenne géométrique des titres (MGT) et le taux de transfert des anticorps maternels ont été déterminés pour chaque troupeau. La MGT a varié entre 3,3 ± 0,09 et 4,8 ± 0,14 dans les troupeaux de reproducteurs, 0,8 ± 0,09 et 2,4 ± 0,21 chez les poussins âgés d’un jour, et 2,8 ± 0,15 et 3,9 ± 0,06 chez les poussins âgés de 7 jours. Les valeurs les plus élevées toutes catégories confondues ont été observées dans le troupeau de poulets de chair D. La MGT a varié entre 1,4 ± 0,18 et 2,3 ± 0,17 chez les 14 poussins âgés de 14 jours, et la valeur la plus élevée a été obtenue dans le troupeau de poulets de chair C. Dans l’ensemble, la MGT des poussins d’un jour a baissé significativement (p < 0,05) par rapport à celle des reproducteurs. Les taux de transfert des anticorps maternels ont été plus élevés dans les troupeaux de poulets de chair C et D avec respectivement 50 et 40,9 p. 100, alors que ceux des troupeaux de poulettes A, B et E ont été respectivement de 24,2, 19,5 et 19,5 p. 100. Cette étude a montré que le transfert des anticorps maternels était faible six mois après la vaccination, en particulier dans les troupeaux de poulettes, se traduisant par des titres d’anticorps faibles ou indétectables chez les poussins âgés d’un jour. Une modification du calendrier de vaccination est donc recommandée.