Abstract
Background Subclinical mastitis is one of the most common reproductive diseases in dairy cows. Qicao Rukang powder is a Chinese herbal compound mixture developed to treat subclinical mastitis in dairy cows by clearing heat, tonifying qi, and improving blood and milk circulation. The study aimed to determine the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial efficacy of Qicao Rukang powder in treating subclinical mastitis in dairy cows at the manufacturer's recommended dose. Methods Forty (40) Holstein dairy cows with milk somatic cell count (SCC) ≥ 500,000 cellml−1 were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 20) and control (n = 20) groups. Cows in the treatment group were administered with 150 grams of Qicao Rukang powder orally for five days, while the control group received no treatment. The authors analyzed the milk SCC, milk composition, bacteriological cure rate of the drug, blood serum levels of interleukins (IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-8), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and interferon gamma (INF-γ) quantified by using ELISA kits on day 0 and day 6. Results SCC of the treated group reduced very significantly (P < 0.001) compared with the control group. Milk fat, protein, and total solids increased significantly (P < 0.05) after treatment, whereas lactose and milk urea nitrogen levels showed a nonsubstantial rise. The bacteriological cure percentage of Qicao Rukang powder therapy was 77.8% for Aeromonas spp. (14 of 18), 75% for Pseudomonas spp. (6 of 8), and 100% for Acinetobacter spp. and Enterococcus spp. giving 81.8% cured for all isolates (27 of 33). Only 26.7% (8 of 30) of untreated cows recovered spontaneously. Analysis of IL-1β, IL-6, and INF-γ in the blood serum of the treated group revealed a significant decrease (P < 0.01) with nonsignificant rises in TNF-α and IL-8 levels. Conclusions This research demonstrates that Qicao Rukang powder has potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory actions, supporting its use as an alternative to conventional treatment for subclinical dairy cow mastitis. However, further investigations will be required to explain the role of the active ingredients and the mechanisms involved in the pharmacological activities of the Qicao Rukang powder.
Highlights
Dairy cow mastitis is one of the major diseases threatening the development of dairy cattle breeding worldwide [1] and is the inflammation of the mammary gland caused primarily by invading of pathogenic microorganisms [2, 3]
We showed that oral administration of 150 g Qicao Rukang powder for five days in subclinical mastitis cows significantly (P < 0.001) reduced milk somatic cell count (SCC) (Figure 3). e decrease in SCC milk could be because Qicao Rukang powder contains various active ingredients, such as polysaccharides, which have a wide range of biological activities that can boost immunity and help prevent and treat mammary gland diseases [45]
Our research evaluated blood serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, INF-c, and IL-8 using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test which indicated a change in serum level after treatment (Figures 4(a)–4(e)), in which serum concentrations of IL-8 and TNF-α showed a nonsignificant rise
Summary
Dairy cow mastitis is one of the major diseases threatening the development of dairy cattle breeding worldwide [1] and is the inflammation of the mammary gland caused primarily by invading of pathogenic microorganisms [2, 3]. Subclinical mastitis has a systemic effect on the Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine reproduction capacity of the infected animal [8] It can be diagnosed by elevated somatic cell counts, milk production losses, and the presence of inflammatory mediators and bacteria in milk [9]. Qicao Rukang powder is a Chinese herbal compound mixture developed to treat subclinical mastitis in dairy cows by clearing heat, tonifying qi, and improving blood and milk circulation. E study aimed to determine the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial efficacy of Qicao Rukang powder in treating subclinical mastitis in dairy cows at the manufacturer’s recommended dose. Is research demonstrates that Qicao Rukang powder has potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory actions, supporting its use as an alternative to conventional treatment for subclinical dairy cow mastitis. Further investigations will be required to explain the role of the active ingredients and the mechanisms involved in the pharmacological activities of the Qicao Rukang powder
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