Blend Of Essential Oils Research Articles

Enkapsulasi Campuran Minyak Atsiri sebagai Produk Sediaan Aromaterapi dengan Teknik Koaservasi Kompleks

Essential oils are used as raw materials in the flavors and fragrances industry. Essential oils contain active compounds that are volatile at ambient temperature so that it is unstable to environmental changes. Complex coacervation is one of the techniques used in the encapsulation process to protect the active material. Essential oil blends were encapsulated by gelatin and maltodextrin as wall material and sodium tripolyphosphate as crosslinking agent. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the proportion between essential oils, wall material, and crosslinking agents on the yield, loading capacity, and encapsulation efficiency. The results showed that the optimum formulation for microcapsules was the essential oil and wall material ratio 1:2 and crosslinking agent concentration of 3%, with the yield of 45.18%, loading capacity of 5.37%, and encapsulation efficiency of 92.20%. The microcapsule size obtained was 0.1475 μm with polydispersity index of 0.410. Key words: complex coacervation, encapsulation, essential oil, gelatin, maltodextrin

Effect of essential oil blend on intestinal morphology, gut microbiota and immune response of broiler chickens

Effect of essential oil blend on intestinal morphology, gut microbiota and immune response of broiler chickens

PSVII-7 Fatty acid profile is not affected by feeding finishing cattle essential oils and/or benzoic acid

Abstract Fatty acid profile of beef subcutaneous fat was evaluated in two separate studies where blends of essential oils and/or benzoic acid were fed to finishing steers. Study 1 had sixty-eight finishing steers that were fed 1 of 5 finishing diets: no additional supplement, monensin/tylosin, essential oil blend #1 (Victus Liv, DSM Nutritional Products), benzoic acid (VevoVitall, DSM Nutritional Products), or a combination of essential oil blend #1 and benzoic acid. Study 2 had seventy-six finishing steers that were fed 1 of 7 finishing diets: no additional supplement, monensin/tylosin, essential oil blend #1, essential oil blend #2 (Fortissa Fit 45, Provimi Canada), benzoic acid, a combination of essential oil blend #1 and benzoic acid, or a combination of essential oil blend #2 and benzoic acid. All feed additives were supplemented according to manufacturer instructions, which were 33 mg/kg of monensin, 11 mg/kg of tylosin, 1 g/steer/day of essential oil blend #1, 4 g/steer/day of essential oil blend #2, and 0.5% inclusion level (on a DM basis) of benzoic acid. Fatty acid profile was determined on a 4 cm × 1 cm × 1 cm sample of subcutaneous fat from the 12th rib location of each steer. Fatty acid methyl esters were used to identify and quantify individual fatty acids using gas chromatography. Data were analyzed separately for the two studies, using a RCBD with fixed effect of treatment, and random effects of block (allocation weight of the steers) and the interaction of treatment and block. Total saturated fatty acids (SFA), total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), MUFA:SFA, PUFA:SFA, and n6:n3 were not different (P > 0.09) between treatments for either study. Overall, it was concluded that supplementation of essential oils and/or benzoic acid did not affect fatty acid profile of beef subcutaneous fat.

213 Feeding essential oils and α-amylase or its association with 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D3 improves productive performance by feedlot cattle

Abstract Our objective was to evaluate the effects of associating feed additives on performance of finishing cattle when fed a high-concentrate diet for 105 days. Twenty-four Angus-Nellore crossbred bulls (iBW, 456 ± 10.04 kg; age, 18 mo) were randomly allocated to three treatments with eight replicates per treatment (animal as experimental unit). The treatments were: 1) Control (MON) - Sodium Monensin, 26 mg/kg DM; 2) Crina® RumistarTM (CR) - a blend of essential oils, 90 mg/kg DM + exogenous α-amylase, 560 mg/kg DM) and 3) CR + HyD® (25-hydroxy-vitamin-D3 at 1 mg/animal/d). The DM intake and animalsˈ weight variables were assessed individually, by using the Intergado® electronic system and the Bosch® Precision Livestock platform placed in the feedlot pen, respectively. Data were analyzed using the Mixed procedure of SAS and means comparison evaluated by Tukey test at P < 0.05. The initial BW was used as a covariate when significant. Feeding CR and CR+HyD increased DMI (13.18 and 12.82 kg vs. 10.77 kg P < 0.01) and tended to increase ADG (1.94, 1.92 vs. 1.68kg/d, P = 0.07) and final BW (654, 652 vs. 628 kg, P = 0.08) compared with MON. Likewise, animals fed CR and CR+HyD had greater carcass ADG (1.38, 1.41 vs. 1.14 kg/d, P < 0.01), and HCW (368.53 and 371.87 vs. 344.13 kg; P < 0.01) compared to MON. In addition, feeding CR+HyD increased the dressing percentage in 2.1 percent points compared with MON (57.4 vs. 55.3%; P < 0.03). The G:F and the biological efficiency were similar among treatments (P = 0.50). We conclude that including Crina® RumistarTM +HyD® can be used as a tool to increase carcass production by feedlot cattle.

203 Feeding a calf starter containing monensin alone or in combination with a blend of essential oils and a proprietary cobalt source to Holstein calves

Abstract Gut health is critical for neonatal calves, and nutritional technologies are needed for disease and stress prevention. Previous work feeding Monensin (MON) in combination with a blend of essential oils and a proprietary cobalt source (EOC) blend had demonstrated improved calf gut health and growth performance. The objective was to evaluate MON and EOC alone or in combination on calf growth performance. Eighty (80) new born Holstein calves were randomly assigned to one of four treatments arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial (MON and EOC). Treatments were: 1) Control without MON or EOC added to the calf starter (CS); 2) MON: 50.8 mg/kg CS (Norvikon Biotechnology Co., Hunan, China); 3) EOC: 44.1 mg/kg CS (Rum-A-Fresh, Ralco Inc. Marshall, MN); 4) MON+EOC: MON and EOC added to CS. Calves were fed colostrum followed by whole milk through weaning at 42 d, while CS was fed ad libitum through the 70-d experimental period. The MON by EOC interaction was found to be nonsignificant (P > 0.41) for growth performance. Calves fed without or with MON demonstrated similar (P > 0.70) body weight (BW; 68.7 and 68.9 kg without and with MON, respectively), while calves fed EOC demonstrated greater (P < 0.01) BW (67.3 and 70.4 kg without and with EOC, respectively) compared with calves fed without EOC. Calves fed a CS containing MON were similar (P > 0.47) in ADG (0.88 and 0.91 kg/d) compared with calves fed without MON; however, calves fed a CS with EOC increased (P < 0.01) ADG (0.84 and 0.95 kg/d) 13% through the 70 d experimental period compared with calves not fed EOC. These data demonstrate that EOC and MON fed in combination was not beneficial for enhancing growth performance, but that calf growth performance can be improved with EOC compared to MON.

PSVII-3 Effect of feeding finishing steers two different commercially available blends of essential oils with or without benzoic acid on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality

Abstract This study examined the effects of feeding two different commercially available blends of essential oils with or without benzoic acid on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of finishing steers. Angus-based crossbred steers (N = 76; allocation BW = 429 ± 30 kg; starting BW = 466 kg ± 31 kg) were assigned by allocation weight into two blocks. Within each block, steers were randomly assigned to one of seven dietary treatments for a 100 d finishing period. Treatments were: 1) a negative control with no additives; 2) a positive control with supplementation of monensin/tylosin; 3) essential oil blend #1 (Victus Liv, DSM Nutritional Products); 4) essential oil blend #2 (Fortissa Fit 45, Provimi Canada); 5) benzoic acid (VevoVitall, DSM Nutritional Products); 6) a combination of essential oil blend #1 and benzoic acid; and 7) a combination of essential oil blend #2 and benzoic acid. All feed additives were supplemented at dosage levels according to manufacturer instructions. Growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality were evaluated. Individual animal feed intake was collected using an Insentec feeding system, therefore steer was the experimental unit for all analyses. Data were analyzed using a RCBD with fixed effect of treatment and random effect of block. Final BW, ADG, DMI, and G:F were similar (P > 0.25) among treatments. There were no treatment differences (P > 0.15) for the carcass characteristics or the meat quality parameters evaluated in this study. Overall, steers supplemented with the commercial blends of essential oils with or without benzoic acid had similar growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality parameters as steers fed CON or M/T, indicating that these products may have potential as replacements for monensin and/or tylosin.

PSIII-40 Essential oil blend as a possible alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in broiler production

Abstract Despite the limited use of antibiotics as growth promoters (AGPs) in a number of countries, many others find a useful tool in them. However, many producers in the later regions are transitioning to AGP-free production for commercial reasons. The aim of this trial was to determine whether a blend of essential oils (EO), like oregano or clove, could reach similar production/health parameters compared to an AGP treatment used in broiler production. A total of 1,200 one-day-old chicks were distributed in 2 treatments within 12 floor pens (n = 6). The treatments were: T1-basal feed + AGP (Enramycin 10ppm); T2-basal feed + EO (1kg/t). The trial lasted 35d and performance parameters were recorded weekly. On day 21 and 35, one bird per pen was euthanized for intestinal and carcass analysis. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA using the GLM procedure of SAS 9.0. There were no significant differences in the performance parameters at 35d. A trend was observed of higher BW (P = 0.062) at 28d for EO birds (1,708g) compared to AGP birds (1,671g), which relates to another trend (P = 0.071) of increased daily gain from 21-28d (685g and 653g for EO and AGP treatments respectively). A relevant finding was a significantly (P = 0.034) higher mortality in AGP birds from 0-28d (4.83%) compared to EO birds (3.00%). In the post-mortem analysis no differences were observed in intestinal segments in relative and total length. However, animals from T2 showed a trend (P = 0.077) to have heavier gizzards at 21d, which could indicate an effect of EO on their development, while T1 animals had a significantly heavier cecum at 35d (P = 0.026). No relevant findings were observed in carcass weights and yield. These results suggest that this EO blend could be a valid alternative to AGPs, although further trials under commercial conditions should be carried out to confirm its potential.

81 Effects of NeutraPath™ on growth performance, diarrhea and fecal-hemolytic coliforms of weaned pigs challenged with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Abstract This study was aimed to investigate NeutraPath’s effects on performance, diarrhea, and fecal β-hemolytic coliforms of weaned pigs infected with enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). NeutraPath, a blend of essential oils, fatty acids and toxin-adsorbing minerals has bacteriostatic/bactericidal effects. Thirty-six weanling pigs (21 d old; average BW 6.88 kg; 18 barrows, 18 gilts) blocked by weight and gender, were assigned to one of three dietary treatments in an RCB (1 pig/pen; 12 replicates/treatment). Treatments were control or dietary supplementation with 0.25% or 0.50% NeutraPath. This study lasted 28 d with 7 d before and 21 d after the first E. coli inoculation (d 0). All pigs were orally inoculated with 1010 cfu F18+ ETEC/3-mL dose for 3 consecutive d. Growth performance data was obtained on d 0, d 7, d 14 and d 21 post-inoculation (PI). On d 2 PI, fecal samples were obtained and plated on blood and MacConkey agars to determine total coliforms and β-hemolytic coliforms. Treatment effects were analyzed using one-way ANOVA or repeated measures ANOVA followed by post hoc Tukey’s test. The 0.5% NeutraPath treatment resulted in a 12.7% and a 14.0% increase (P < 0.05) in BW (relative to initial BW at d 0 PI) at d 7 PI and d 21 PI, respectively. Pigs fed either NeutraPath dose had greater overall growth during the 28-d period (P< 0.05) producing improvements in feed efficiency during d 14-21 PI (P< 0.05). Feeding 0.25% NeutraPath improved (P < 0.05) diarrhea kinetics d 0-11 PI, Diarrhea score (DS) area under the curve for d 0-11 and d 0-21 PI, moderate (DS≥3) and severe (DS≥4) diarrhea incidence and tended (P=0.08) to lower the percentage of fecal β-hemolytic coliforms compared to control. In conclusion, NeutraPath supplementation can enhance growth performance and decrease incidence of severe diarrhea in weaned pigs challenged with F18+ ETEC.

202 Dietary supplementation with a blend of essential oils and a proprietary cobalt source along monensin may be antagonistic to growth performance of Holstein yearling bulls

Abstract Our previous work has indicated that feeding a blend of essential oils and a proprietary cobalt source (EOC) in combination with monensin (MON) may not be mutually beneficial to dairy calf growth performance. To evaluate this observation further, a 240 d long-term growth experiment was conducted using 12 young growing Holstein bulls using a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement. Main factors were EOC (Rum-A-Fresh, Ralco, Inc., Marshall, MN) and monensin (MON; Norvikon Biotechnology Co., Hunan, China) arranged in 4 treatments: 1) Control: ration fed without EOC or MON; 2) EOC: EOC fed at 26 mg/kg DM; 3) MON: MON fed at 25 mg/kg DM; and 4) EOC+MON: EOC and MON fed in combination. Holstein bulls were 70 d of age and similar in BW (93.3 ± 4.54 kg) and individually fed for 280 d. Body weights, frame measurements, and blood samples were collected monthly. Interactions of EOC by MON were detected for BW, BW gain, ADG, and a trend for feed conversion. Bulls fed EOC or MON demonstrated greater final BW (367.7, 385.2, 381.2, and 357.5 kg for Control, EOC, MON, and EOC+MON, respectively), while BW gains (277.2, 291.5, 284.8, and 265.2 kg) and ADG (1.16, 1.22, 1.19, 1.11 kg/d) were greatest for bulls fed EOC or MON compared with bulls fed EOC+MON, with bulls fed Control being intermediate and similar to bulls fed MON. Intake of DM was greater for bulls fed EOC (6.55, 6.99, 6.60, and 6.42 kg/d) compared with bulls fed remaining treatments. Feeding EOC or MON separately can improve growth performance of growing Holstein bulls. Why the combination of EOC and MON is antagonistic to growth performance of Holstein bulls is unknown.

PSVIII-11 Eimeria management for recently transported Holstein heifers using essential oils, anti IL-10 or monensin

Abstract Eimeria prevention in dairy heifers is challenging. Possible tools beyond the common practice of feeding an ionophore include polyphenolic compounds in essential oils (cinnamaldehyde, thymol, oregano oil) and binding interleukin-10 (IL-10) to reduce Eimeria’s host immunotolerance strategy. Holstein heifers (160 total; 12–14 wk old) were randomly assigned to one of 5 treatments: 160 mg/head/d of sodium monensin (MON), 1100 mg/head/d of antibody to IL-10 during wk 3–4 (aIL-10), 10 g/head/d of a blend of essential oils (EO), egg control without antibodies to IL-10 (EC), or negative control (NC). Calves were grouped 8 per pen with 4 blocks of 5 pens and FEC averaged by pen before analysis. We evaluated treatment effects on the fecal egg counts (FEC) of E. bovis, E. zurnii and E. auburnesis. Fecal counts were conducted biweekly using FLOTAC technique for 10 wk. Effects were analyzed with a mixed model ANOVA in SAS with repeated measures and ranked for normality. Total FEC prevalence was absent at wk 0, with greater prevalence at wk 4 and 6 for all treatments except MON (P < 0.05), and there were no differences among treatments in positive prevalence by wk 8 and 10 (P > 0.10). There was no difference between NC and MON treatments for wk 6, 8 and 10 in E. bovis, wk 2 and 4 for E. zurnii, and wk 2 and 4 for E. auburnesis (P > 0.05), which is evidence of reduced monensin efficacy or excessive environmental Eimeria load. EO and aIL-10 FEC were also not different than MON counts at multiple timepoints (P > 0.05). Overall, this shows potential monensin resistance after extended exposure (6–8 wk) to high environmental loads of Eimeria and similar FEC between monensin treated calves and those treated with EO or aIL-10.

Effect of an Essential Oil Blend on Dairy Cow Performance during Treatment and Post-Treatment Periods

Essential oils (EOs) and their active components are attracting a lot of attention as sustainable feed additives due to their known antimicrobial properties against a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria, protozoa, and fungi. They also have biological therapeutic, antioxidant, and flavor properties. They can be used for modifying the rumen environment and improving animal productivity. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of supplementation with 2.5 and 5 g/head/day of an essential oils blend (EOB) of clove, oregano, and juniper in equal proportions on milk production and quality, and physiological status of early lactating Holstein dairy cows for 8 weeks of treatment followed by 8 weeks of posttreatment. The results revealed an improvement in milk yield (p ≤ 0.02) and feed efficiency (p ≤ 0.001) with EOB at a dose of 2.5 g/head/day. The percentages of milk protein and lactose were increased (p ≤ 0.03) with a high dose of EOB inclusion during the treatment period as compared with the control group. Milk fat percentage, fat-corrected milk, and energy-corrected milk were not significantly affected by EOB supplementation. The supplementation of EOB tended to decrease milk total bacterial and somatic cell counts when compared to the control group. The supplementation of EOB at both doses increased serum total protein (p ≤ 0.02) and globulin (p ≤ 0.05), and decreased cholesterol level (p ≤ 0.001) and creatinine (p ≤ 0.001) as compared to the control group. Furthermore, the results show that the low dose of EOB had more desirable effects on milk yield, milk total bacterial count, milk somatic cell count, and feed efficiency than the high dose, suggesting that lower doses may not inhibit rumen microbial populations. Moreover, the low doses of EOB could be used as sustainable natural alternatives to antibiotics in livestock diets.

Effect of a phytogenic feed additive on the growth performance and immunity of Pacific white leg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, fed a low fishmeal diet

AbstractPlant‐derived products have been suggested to partially replace fishmeal in aquafeed; however, often at decreased growth performance, inflammatory responses, and increased susceptibility to diseases. This study assessed the effects of the commercial phytogenic feed additive Digestarom PEP MGE on the growth, nutritional performance, and immune response of L. vannamei. Juvenile shrimp (N = 540) were stocked in 36 tanks (V = 100 L) for 63 days and fed one of the four experimental diets: (i) standard formulation (control, 24% fishmeal), (ii) low fishmeal diet (5%), (iii) low fishmeal diet plus 0.2 g/kg Digestarom PEP MGE, and (iv) low fishmeal diet plus 0.4 g/kg Digestarom PEP MGE. The results obtained after 63 days of feed supplementation suggest that the blend of essential oils tested compensated for the negative performance and health consequences of the low fishmeal diet. Particularly, the survival, FCR, total hemocyte count, and respiratory burst of the shrimp fed a low fishmeal diet supplemented with this phytogenic improved up to the levels recorded for shrimp fed a high fishmeal diet. Overall, results suggest that Digestarom PEP MGE can be incorporated into shrimp low fishmeal diets to compensate for the negative performance and immunological effects of partially replacing fishmeal with plant‐based protein.

Activity of Various Essential Oils Against Clinical Dermatophytes of Microsporum and Trichophyton.

Dermatophytoses account for nearly a quarter of all fungal infections worldwide. These difficult to treat infections of the skin, hair, and nails, are growing more resistant to conventional antifungal treatments, and when treatable, often require prolonged therapeutic regimens. For centuries, essential oils have been used to treat a variety of ailments. In this study, we evaluated the clinical effects in vitro of 65 essential oils and 21 essential oil blends against various clinical species/strains of dermatophytes from two primary genera, Microsporum and Trichophyton. Our aim: To determine the overall activity of a wide range of essential oils against a number of clinical strains of dermatophytes. For all assays, 16 clinically derived species/strains of dermatophytes were used. The activity of each essential oil was assessed using a modified disk-diffusion assay over a period of 21 days of incubation vs. standard antifungal drugs. Subsequently, we determined the minimum inhibitory dilution possible for the most potent essential oils and performed combination testing to determine if synergy could be demonstrated with sub-inhibitory concentrations. We also assessed the effect of repeated vs. single applications. Of all the essential oils tested, cassia, cilantro, cinnamon, thyme, and oregano were the most potent along with one blend, DDR Prime; all genera/species tested were completely inhibited for 21 days following a single application. Many of the other oils tested exhibited temporal differences in activity where significant inhibition was observed ≤10 days of incubation which declined by day 21. Synergistic combinations were achieved with oregano and cilantro, cassia, or cinnamon bark; rose and cassia were also synergistic. Repeat application maintained complete inhibition for citronella, lemon myrtle, and litsea out to 21 days, but not lemon grass or On Guard. More study is necessary to understand the ways essential oils inhibit the growth of dermatophytes. Comprehensive research aimed at understanding the mechanism of action of essential oils and their components may provide the basis for a natural alternative to topical antifungal drugs. Such research could be envisioned to target optimal combinations and determine the timing between applications to provide for maximum inhibition of recurrence or growth.

Effect of essential and vegetable oil blend supplementation on animal performance, feed intake, rumen fermentation and rumen microbial populations of crossbred steers finished in a pasture system

Recent years have seen a general increase in consumer concern regarding the profile of additives in animal feed and food sources, prompting the industry to study essential oil blends that have been promoted to replace synthetic products. This study evaluated the effect of essential oil blends supplementation on animal performance, feed intake, rumen fermentation and rumen microbial populations in crossbred steers finished in a pasture system. A total of 40 steers (½ Bons Mara vs. ½ Nellore) with a mean age of 20 ± 2.0 months and a mean body weight of 416.9 ± 5.56 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with five diets and eight replications per diet. The five experimental diets were: CONT – basal diet, and oil blend inclusion in dosages of 1500, 3000, 4500 or 6000 mg/animal/d. Animal performance was similar among diets. The forage intake, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, ethereal extract, non-fibrous carbohydrates, and the digestibility of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and non-fibrous carbohydrates were greater when essential oil blends were fed to steers. There was an increase in the concentrations of rumen ammonia nitrogen, and propionic and isovaleric volatile fatty acids when essential oil blends were used. The microbiological population of the rumen was similar among the five diets. Our results suggest that the inclusion of doses above 1500 mg/animal/ is high for livestock grazing on temperate pasture, further studies are needed to identify a promising dose to replace antimicrobial additives.

Effects of a blend of essential oils and exogenous α-amylase in diets containing different roughage sources for finishing beef cattle

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of feed additives and roughage sources on performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and total tract apparent digestibility of finishing bulls. In Exp. 1, 88 Nellore bulls were used in a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, to evaluate the effects of feeding sodium monensin (MON; 26 mg/kg DM) or the combination of a blend of essential oils + exogenous α-amylase (BEO+AM; 90 and 560 mg /kg DM, respectively of commercial product) associated with corn silage (CS) or sugarcane bagasse (SCB) on performance, carcass, and meat quality of finishing cattle. Bulls fed CS-based diet had a higher dry matter intake (DMI; P < 0.001), average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.015), final body weight (P = 0.049), carcass weight (P = 0.004), dressing percentage (P = 0.008), and ribeye area (P = 0.035), however, a higher gain:feed (G:F) was observed for SCB-fed animals (P = 0.016). No effect of roughage source was observed for fat thickness, fecal starch, or meat quality. Feeding BEO+AM increased ADG (P = 0.043), final body weight (P = 0.023), carcass weight (P = 0.023), and decreased fecal starch (P = 0.013) as compared to animals fed MON, with no differences in DMI and G:F. Feed additives did not affect carcass nor the majority of meat quality traits. In Exp. 2, eight rumen-cannulated Nellore bulls were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design to evaluate the total tract apparent digestibility of nutrients, ruminal fermentation characteristics, and rumen microbial protein synthesis of diets used in Exp. 1. Roughage source did not affect intake nor the total tract apparent digestibility of most nutrients, except for the digestibility of crude protein (P = 0.003), which was greater for CS than for SCB-fed animals. Higher acetate (P < 0.001) and acetate:propionate ratio (P = 0.001), and less propionate (P = 0.001) were observed in CS-fed animals. Roughage source did not affect purine derivatives concentration nor the synthesis of microbial nitrogen. Bulls fed BEO+AM had lower acetate (P = 0.036) and ammonia nitrogen (P = 0.017) concentrations but increased uric acid (P = 0.044) and synthesis of microbial nitrogen (P = 0.027) as compared to the MON-fed animals. Feeding corn silage improved animal performance and carcass characteristics regardless of feed additives. A combination of a blend of essential oils plus exogenous α-amylase improved animal performance and carcass characteristics compared to sodium monensin.

Effect of essential oils or saponins alone or in combination on productive performance, intestinal morphology and digestive enzymes' activity of broiler chickens.

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of essential oils or saponins alone or in combination on productive performance, intestinal morphology, and digestive enzymes' activity in broilers. Four hundred one-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four treatments, each with 5 replicates. The birds were fed experimental diets contained either no phytogenic feed additives (control) or were supplemented with 25.0mg/kg of an essential oil blend from star anise, rosemary, thyme and oregano (essential oils); 46.0mg/kg of a Quillaja saponin blend (saponins); or a combination of both phytogenic preparations (essential oils plus saponins). The experiment lasted for 42days. Body weight, feed intake and weight gain were recorded weekly, and the feed conversion ratio was calculated, throughout the experiment. Intestinal morphology and digestive enzymes' activity were determined at the end of the experiment. It was found that the body weight was increased by all dietary supplements at the end of the experiment. There was no change in performance parameters among the treatments during the starter period. At the grower period and the overall experiment, the weight gain of birds was higher in all supplemented groups compared to the control, but the feed conversion was better in the essential oils with saponins treatment. Supplementation of essential oils or saponins alone or in combination increased the villus height and the villus/crypt ratio of the intestine. There was an increase in trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase activities in the essential oils plus saponins group only. The obtained results indicate that the phytogenic feed additives, especially essential oils with saponins, can be considered as new promising agents in promoting the growth performance of broilers. The effect could be related to its improving impact in intestinal development and increasing the protease enzymes' activity, resulting in increased protein digestibility and absorption of dietary nutrients.

Acceptability by sensory and visual analyses of meat from Nellore heifers fed with natural additives and finished in feedlots.

This study evaluated the acceptability (by sensorial and visual analyses) of meat from 40 Nellore heifers (finished in feedlots for 73 days) fed with different diets supplemented with essential oils (EOs) and an active principle blend. The five diets tested were: CON - a diet without essential oil and active principle blend (eugenol, thymol, and vanillin); ROS - a diet supplemented with rosemary EO; BLE - supplemented with a blend; BCL - a diet with clove EO+ blend; and BRC - a diet with rosemary, clove EOs + blend. The acceptability of diet and aging time was evaluated by consumers. Diet affected consumer acceptability and visual analysis (meat color). The diets with EO and the blend showed better sensory acceptance by the consumers; meat aged for 7 days received higher scores than meat aged for 1 day. Meat from heifers that received both EOs + blend (BCL, BRC) obtained the highest scores in the visual evaluation. The use of natural compounds in ruminant diets improves the sensory characteristics of meat without damaging visual acceptability and may be an alternative to the conventional additive market. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Aromatherapy for test anxiety in chiropractic students.

Up to 85% of college students experience test anxiety, which may contribute to decreased academic performance. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of recruiting chiropractic students for a randomized trial involving aromatherapy for anxiety reduction. This study enrolled chiropractic students who were randomly assigned to separate rooms during a biochemistry test. Waterless diffusers dispersed a lemon and rosemary blend of essential oils in the experimental room and water in the control room. Students completed pretest surveys rating current and general anxiety. Posttest surveys included rating current anxiety. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was preformed to determine within- and between-group differences for current anxiety. Feasibility was the primary aim, and the statistical significance of anxiety test scores between rooms was the secondary aim. Sixty-four students were included in the study. The feasibility of research methods was noted for adherence to the study protocol (informed consent, randomization, and survey distribution and completion) and resource allocation. Design improvements are required in recruitment methods, follow-up surveys, and intervention blinding. ANCOVA for between-group comparisons showed no statistically significant difference between groups' pre- and posttest anxiety scores (p = .22). Two reported side effects, eye and sinus irritation, could not be attributed to treatment group. Most students were willing to use aromatherapy for test anxiety in the future. We demonstrated feasibility in conducting a randomized study to measure the influence of aromatherapy on test anxiety in chiropractic students. A powered, randomized study is needed to determine if aromatherapy may be effective in reducing test anxiety.

Comparison study of flaxseed, cinnamon and lemon seed essential oils additives on quality and fermentation characteristics of lucerne silage

This experiment was performed to investigate the effects of some essential oils on chemical properties and aerobic stability of lucerne silage. Treatments included lucerne silage without additives (control), lucerne silage with 60 mg cinnamon essential oil/kg, lucerne silage with 60 mg flaxseed essential oil/kg, lucerne silage with 60 mg lemon seed essential oil/kg, lucerne silage with 180 mg blend of essential oils (60 mg cinnamon + 60 mg flaxseed + 60 mg lemon seed essential oils/kg). Adding essential oils to lucerne silage reduced silage pH (p &lt; 0.001) compared to control. The highest level of total volatile fatty acids (tVFA) was found when lemon seed essential oil and the lowest level when flaxseed essential oil was used. The lucerne silages treated with essential oils had the highest crude protein contents (p &lt; 0.01). Untreated lucerne silage had the highest level of gas production compared to lucerne silage treated with lemon seed and flaxseed essential oils (p &lt; 0.01). The essential oil additives increased the aerobic stability of the silage. It can be concluded that the use of essential oil additive in the preparation of high quality lucerne silage, can improves the quality and nutritive value of silages.

Phytochemical and toxicological evaluation of a blend of essential oils of Croton species on Aedes aegypti and Mus musculus

New control alternatives to chemical insecticides, such as botanical essential oils, are important to reduce the population of mosquito vectors. In addition, the use of these oils as insecticides should be safe for mammals. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the insecticidal activity of a blend of essential oils from the leaves of Croton argyrophyllus Kunth. and Croton tetradenius Baill. on Aedes aegypti Linnaeus, 1762, as well as to evaluate its acute toxicity in Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758, and to analyze the chemical composition of this blend. The blend was prepared from a combination of these essential oils in the proportion of 1:1 (m/m). Larvae and adults of Ae. aegypti were used for insecticidal evaluation. In the acute toxicity analysis, the essential oil blend was administered intraperitoneally and orally to M. musculus. Gas chromatography together with mass spectrometry was used for chemical evaluation. The blend presented insecticidal properties, with an additive effect on larvicidal activity (LC50=0.16 mg mL-1) and a synergistic effect on adulticidal activity (LC50=0.75 mg mL-1). When administered intraperitoneally to mice, the blend displayed intermediate acute toxicity (LD50=500 mg kg-1), and no toxicity was observed after oral administration (LD50=2500 mg kg-1). Camphor (15.9%), isopinocampheol (12.1%), and (E)-caryophyllene (9.5%) were the main components of this blend. Thus, the blend of essential oils of C. argyrophyllus and C. tetradenius has insecticidal properties against Ae. aegypti and is also safe for mammals, relevant characteristics for the formulation of botanical insecticides.