Response of plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) supplementation on nutritional, endo-parasitic, and endocrine status in lambs

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) reduces cyathostomin egg excretion and larval development in grazing horses

Cyathostomins are the most prevalent parasitic nematodes of grazing horses. They are responsible for colic and diarrhea in their hosts. After several decades of exposure to synthetic anthelmintics, they have evolved to become resistant to most compounds. In addition, the drug-associated environmental side-effects question their use in the field. Alternative control strategies, like bioactive forages, are needed to face these challenges. Among these, chicory (Cichorium intybus, Puna II cultivar (cv.)) is known to convey anthelmintic compounds and may control cyathostomins in grazing horses. To challenge this hypothesis, we measured fecal egg counts and the rate of larval development in 20 naturally infected young saddle horses (2-year-old) grazing either (i) a pasture sown with chicory (n = 10) or (ii) a mesophile grassland (n = 10) at the same stocking rate (2.4 livestock unit (LU)/ha). The grazing period lasted 45 days to prevent horse reinfection. Horses in the chicory group mostly grazed chicory (89% of the bites), while those of the control group grazed mainly grasses (73%). Cyathostomins egg excretion decreased in both groups throughout the experiment. Accounting for this trajectory, the fecal egg count reduction (FECR) measured in individuals grazing chicory relative to control individuals increased from 72.9% at day 16 to 85.5% at the end of the study. In addition, larval development in feces from horses grazed on chicory was reduced by more than 60% from d31 compared to control individuals. Using a metabarcoding approach, we also evidenced a significant decrease in cyathostomin species abundance in horses grazing chicory. Chicory extract enriched in sesquiterpenes lactones was tested on two cyathostomins isolates. The estimated IC50 was high (1 and 3.4 mg/ml) and varied according to the pyrantel sensitivity status of the worm isolate. We conclude that the grazing of chicory (cv. Puna II) by horses is a promising strategy for reducing cyathostomin egg excretion and larval development that may contribute to lower the reliance on synthetic anthelmintics. The underpinning modes of action remain to be explored further.

Polyphenols in Agricultural Grassland Crops and Their Health-Promoting Activities-A Review

Grassland crops are emerging reservoirs of undisturbed, natural antioxidants and phytochemicals, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. The present review will focus on the most commonly cultivated crops, namely Lolium perenne L, Cichorium intybus L, Plantago lanceolata L. and Trifolium pratense L, which have been recognized for their polyphenolic composition. However, these crops are often undervalued and underutilized, yet have the means of potentially creating novel, value-added food and nutraceutical products. Previous studies relating to these crops have identified them as rich sources of caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, daidzein, kaempferol, luteolin, and quercetin. The key to harnessing the hidden potential of these species is the recovery, identification, and characterization of the phytochemicals they contain. Considering the upsurge of research studies on alternative plant-based diets for the health of humans and the planet earth, there is a necessity to understand the phytochemical composition and the bioactivity that they possess. This review summarizes recovery methods of phytochemicals from the aforementioned grassland crops and their compositional and functional (antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic) characterization and discusses the potential for grassland crops as an abundant reservoir of health-promoting ingredients which can increase the nutritional composition within novel food innovations or within nutraceuticals.

Antioxidant Contents in a Mediterranean Population of Plantago lanceolata L. Exploited for Quarry Reclamation Interventions

Plantago lanceolata L. (plantain) is an interesting multipurpose perennial species whose aerial parts are used in herbal medicine due to its precious phytochemicals and are palatable to animals. Moreover, peculiar traits such as drought tolerance, an extended growth season and a deep root system, make plantain a promising pioneer plant for quarry reclamation based on the use of native species. This study evaluated the effects of different environmental conditions and seasons on the accumulation of the bioactive compounds of its aerial organs. An autochthonous plantain population was grown in three locations in Sardinia (Italy). Leaves, peduncles and inflorescences were collected between October 2020 and July 2021. Phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity were determined. The analysis of the individual phenolic compounds was performed using liquid chromatography. In leaves, the content of total phenolics, antioxidant capacity and total flavonoids were significantly influenced by location and season. Total phenolic content ranged from 65 to 240 g gallic acid equivalent kg^-1, whereas total flavonoids were from 16 to about 89 g catechin equivalent kg^-1. Neochlorogenic, chlorogenic, cryptochlorogenic acids, verbascoside, diosmin and luteolin were identified in the methanolic extracts of leaves, peduncles and inflorescences. Verbascoside was the main antioxidant isolated from plantain extracts. Results evidenced an increasing accumulation pattern of phenolics from vegetative stage to flowering, followed by a decrement towards the seed ripening as well as site-specific differences with amounts of phenolics even 25% higher for same plantain accession.