Capsaicinoids improve egg production by regulating ovary nuclear transcription factors against heat stress in quail

Protective Effect of Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt Extract on Oocyte and Follicle Toxicity Induced by Doxorubicin during In Vitro Culture of Mice Ovaries

This study evaluated the potential of Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt extract (CIMI) to reduce the deleterious effects of doxorubicin (DOXO) in oocytes, follicles and stromal cells in mice ovaries cultured in vitro. In experiment 1, mice ovaries were cultured in DMEM⁺ alone or supplemented with 5, 50 or 500 ng/mL CIMI, while in experiment 2, mice ovaries were cultured in DMEM⁺ alone or supplemented with 5 ng/mL CIMI (better concentration), 0.3 μg/mL DOXO or both. Thereafter, the ovaries were processed for histological (morphology, growth, activation, extracellular matrix configuration and stromal cell density), immunohistochemical (caspase-3) analyses. Follicle viability was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy (ethidium homodimer-1 and calcein) while real-time PCR was performed to analyses the levels of (mRNA for SOD, CAT and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) analyses. The results showed that DOXO reduces the percentage of normal follicles and the density of stromal cells in cultured ovaries, but these harmful effects were blocked by CIMI. The DOXO reduced the percentage of primordial follicles, while the presence of CIMI alone did not influence percentage of primordial follicles. A higher staining for caspase-3 was seen in ovaries cultured in control medium alone or with DOXO when compared with those cultured with CIMI alone or both CIMI and DOXO. In addition, follicles from ovaries cultured with both CIMI and DOXO were stained by calcein, while those follicles cultured with only DOXO were stained with ethidium homodimer-1. Furthermore, ovaries cultured with CIMI or both CIMI and DOXO had higher levels of mRNA for SOD and CAT, respectively, than those cultured with only DOXO. In conclusion, the extract of CIMI protects the ovaries against deleterious effects of DOXO on follicular survival and ovarian stromal cells.

Dietary ascorbic acid and betaine improve stress responses, testosterone levels and some sexual traits in male Japanese quails during the dry season

The experiment investigated the effects of dietary ascorbic acid and betaine stress responses, serum testosterone levels, and some sexual traits in male Japanese quails during the dry season. A total of 240 male Japanese quails (14 days old) were used and randomly assigned to four groups, each group has three replicates (n = 20). Birds in treatment groups were fed ascorbic acid (AA); betaine (BET); and AA + BET in their diets, whereas the control birds were fed only basal diet. Environmental conditions were predominantly outside thermoneutral zone for Japanese quails. Dietary AA ± BET increased (p < .05) serum catalase, reduced glutathione and testosterone, but lowered (p < .05) cortisol levels when compared with control group. Supplemental AA, BET, or AA + BET enhanced (p < .05) cloacal gland size and sexual traits. In conclusion, dietary AA and BET improved stress responses, serum testosterone levels, and some sexual traits in male Japanese quails during the dry season.

Propolis alleviates the negative effects of heat stress on egg production, egg quality, physiological and immunological aspects of laying Japanese quail

The present work was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary propolis supplementation to laying Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) on egg production, egg quality, physiological and immunological aspects under heat stress conditions. A total of 200, 21-day-old, Japanese quail females were distributed equally into standard wired cages in two identical environmentally-controlled rooms (10 cages per room, 10 birds per cage). From 29–70 d of age, the quail birds in the first room remained at a normal temperature of 24°C (C group), whereas the quail birds in the second room were kept under heat stress at 35°C (HS group). Each group was further assigned to 2 propolis subgroups (5 cages per subgroup); one of them received a basal diet without propolis supplementation (-PR subgroup), while, the other received 1 g propolis/ kg basal diet (+PR subgroup). In the present study, performance and egg production of laying quail were significantly (P<0.001) impaired by HS treatment and improved by the PR treatment. Similarly, the negative and positive effects of HS and PR, respectively, were appeared on the egg shell thickness and yolk index. Stress indicators in laying quail were significantly (P<0.001) increased by HS, while, PR significantly (P<0.05) moderated these levels in the HS+PR group when compared to the HS-PR quail group. In addition to the positive impact of PR on the plasma levels of calcium, phosphorus, and albumin, it also normalized the plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase and cholesterol in the heat-stressed quail birds. Moreover, the quail birds in the HS groups expressed lower immunological aspects than those in the C group, while, the addition of propolis to the diets enhanced the immune status of laying quail birds under HS conditions. These results strongly suggest that dietary propolis supplementation could be a successful attempt to maintain the performance and egg production of laying Japanese quail at convenient levels under heat stress conditions.