In the present study, Melia azedarach wood samples that were treated with the methanolic extract of Musa paradisiaca L. peels were evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activities against Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Dickeya solani, Erwinia amylovora, Pseudomonas cichorii, Serratia pylmuthica, Fusarium culmorum, and Rhizoctonia solani. The strongest antibacterial activity was only found against A. tumefaciens (inhibition zone 90 mm), while the other bacterial strains showed resistance to wood that was treated with the extract. Potential antifungal activity against F. culmorum and R. solani was observed; the mycelial growth inhibition percentages reached 68.88% and 94.07%, respectively, in wood samples that were treated with the 3% methanolic extract of M. paradisiaca peel. HPLC analysis demonstrated the presence of seven phenolic compounds and three flavonoid compounds, as their peaks were matched with the standard compounds in a HPLC analysis. The major constituents of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in mg/100 g dry extract (DE) were ellagic acid (16.19), gallic acid (7.73), rutin (973.08), myricetin (11.52), and naringenin (8.47). The results demonstrated the potential effects of banana peel extract as a natural compound that can protect wood from molds while in use.

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The aim of this study was to compare the use of exogenous enzyme preparations (EZ) and/or Salix babylonica extract (SB) or their combination as feed additives on some haematological parameters in growing lambs. Twenty Suffolk lambs of 6 to 8-months-old with 24±0.3 kg body weight were used in the study. Lambs were divided into 4 groups of 5 animals each in a completely randomized design and the treatments were: 1.control: fed a basal diet of concentrate (30%) and maize silage (70%); 2. EZ: fed the basal diet plus 10 g of enzyme; 3. SB: fed the basal diet plus 30 ml of S. babylonica extract, and 4. EZSB: fed the basal diet plus 10 g enzyme and 30 ml of S. babylonica extract. Lambs were housed in individual cages and the experiment was conducted for 60 days. The SB was given orally while the EZ was mixed with a small amount of the concentrate and maize silage and was offered ad libitum. Blood samples were collected from each animal on days 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 of Animal and Feed Sciences, 21, 2012, 577-586 ENZYMES -HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN LAMBSexperiment and analysed for haematological parameters. The treatments of EZ, SB or EZSB did not affect any of the measured blood parameters. Day of sampling modified concentrations of red blood cells (P=0.001; linear effect), haematocrit (P=0.01; quadratic effect), haemoglobin (P=0.01; linear effect), mean corpuscular volume (P=0.01; linear effect), monocytes (P=0.004; quadratic effect) and plasma protein (P=0.0002; linear effect). It could be concluded that Salix babylonica extract, exogenous enzymes and their combination as feed additives had not a negative effects on the blood parameters measured and therefore on the health of the lambs.

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