This study was carried out to provide the baseline data on the composition and distribution of the angiosperms and to assess their current status in Rajkandi Reserve Forest of Moulvibazar, Bangladesh. The study reports a total of 549 angiosperm species belonging to 123 families, 98 (79.67%) of which consisting of 418 species under 316 genera belong to Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons), and the remaining 25 (20.33%) comprising 132 species of 96 genera to Liliopsida (monocotyledons). Rubiaceae with 30 species is recognized as the largest family in Magnoliopsida followed by Euphorbiaceae with 24 and Fabaceae with 22 species; whereas, in Lilliopsida Poaceae with 32 species is found to be the largest family followed by Cyperaceae and Araceae with 17 and 15 species, respectively. Ficus is found to be the largest genus with 12 species followed by Ipomoea, Cyperus and Dioscorea with five species each. Rajkandi Reserve Forest is dominated by the herbs (284 species) followed by trees (130 species), shrubs (125species), and lianas (10 species). Woodlands are found to be the most common habitat of angiosperms. A total of 387 species growing in this area are found to be economically useful. 25 species listed in Red Data Book of Bangladesh under different threatened categories are found under Lower Risk (LR) category in this study area.

Seasonal abundance of zooplankton in relation to different physico-chemical conditions of Kaptai lake has been studied. A total of four major groups of zooplankton were identified from study area of Kaptai lake during three seasons observation at pre-monsoon, monsoon and Post-monsoon. These four groups were categorized into rotifers, copepods, cladocerans and others (fish larvae, shrimp larvae, insects, mosquito larvae etc.). The mean abundance of group rotifers, copepods, cladoceras and others were 103, 84.67, 38.33 and 41.83 ind. L-1 respectively. The highest group was rotifers in terms of abundance and composition where compositions were recorded 38 % at three season’s observation. The lowest group was cladoceras in term of abundance and composition where compositions were recorded 14 %. The air temperature, water temperature, transparency, water pH, DO, BOD5, PO4-P, NO2-N, SiO3-Si, TSS, TDS, Alkalinity ranged between 21 and 27.50C, 23.5 and 31.50C, 0.8 and 3 m, 7.1 and 7.5, 5.72 and 8.58 mg/l, 8.55 and 12.87 mg/l, 3.22 and 4.13 μg/l, 0.992 and 1.19 μg/l, 161.18 and 201.15 μg/l, 0.28 and 0.48 g/l, 0.18 and 0.68 g/l, 40 and 60 ppm, respectively. Margalef richness index (d), Pielou’s evenness index (J'), Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H'), Simpson dominance index (λ) are analyzed by Primer V6 software to quantify the collected species. Through same software SIMPER, Cluster analysis also done to compare similarity between season. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. December 2018, 4(4): 389-399

Background and Aim: Global trend to remove the antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) from animals contributes to the exploration of successful measures to sustain production and reduces the intestinal diseases in the post-AGP era. Plant extracts, therefore, have been used to improve performance and intestinal health. Here, we conducted a study to evaluate the effects of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extracts (NLE) as alternatives to AGPs in broiler chickens. Materials and Methods: Sixty day-old broiler chicks were assigned to 12-floor pens, each stocked with five birds and divided into three treatment groups of four pens per treatment. The groups were: Negative control, basal diet without additives; positive control, basal diet with antibiotics and vitamins; and NLE treated group, basal diet supplemented with 0.1% aqua extract of neem leaves. Results: Overall feed intake was significantly (p≤0.05) highest in the positive control. Higher body weight, higher dressing percentage, and lower feed conversion ratio were observed in birds treated with NLE compared to the negative control group (p≤0.05) but not the positive control group (p>0.05). There was no significant variation in hematology between different groups. Furthermore, the economic evaluation indicated that the NLE treatment was found cheaper than control and antibiotic treatment in cost-benefit analysis. Conclusion: We suggest NLE might be a cheaper alternative to antibiotics in broiler production as indicated by improved body weight and feed efficiency.

Chronic arsenic toxicity is a severe disease in men and animals which occurs severely in Bangladesh. Arsenic (As) contamination in ground water used in drinking is the major concern because arsenic is present in human and animal food chain. This work was done in quails with a view to observing the efficacy of spirulina (Spirulina platensis) and vitamin E for prevention of arsenic toxicity. 60 quails were used in this study and animals were divided into control group (T0), arsenic treated group (T1), arsenic plus spirulina treated group (T2) and arsenic plus vitamin E treated group (T3). Each group consists of 15 quails. Quails of T0 group were given normal feed and water and kept as control. Quails of T1, T2 and T3 were given 100 mg arsenic trioxide/L drinking water daily for 30 days. In addition to arsenic trioxide quails of group T2 and T3 were simultaneously fed with spirulina @ 1 gm/kg feed and vitamin E @ 400 mg /kg body weight up to 30 days respectively. Five quails from each group (T0, T1, T2 and T3) were sacrificed at 15 days interval in order to determine haematological parameters. Result showed that in group T1, body weight gain was minimum, whereas in group T2 and T3 the body weight gain in quails were better. Reduction of TEC and Hb values were observed in arsenic treated group T1. Whereas in rest groups the TEC and Hb values were comparatively higher than arsenic treated group. Noticeable change observed in liver and kindey of arsenic treated group in compare to the control group. Histopathological changes also observed in liver and kindey of arsenic treated group in compare to the control group. In conclusion, spirulina and vitamin E have significant effect on body weight, hematological and postmortem and histopathological changes. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. March 2020, 6(1): 93-98

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplementation of Halquinol on productive performances, carcass characteristics and hematological parameters of Sonali chicken. A total number of 72 Sonali chicks of 07 days old were divided randomly into 04 experimental groups occupying 03 replications in each groups among which four dietary groups were considered i.e. control group (T0), Halquinol @ 0.25g/ kg feed in group (T1); Halquinol @ 0.5g/ kg feed in group (T2); and Halquinol @ 1g/ kg feed in group (T3) respectively. Results indicated that body weight and body weight gain were increased significantly (P<0.05) in birds supplied with Halquinol @ 1g/ kg feed group (T3) compared to the other groups. Higher (P<0.05) feed intake and better (P<0.05) FE were also observed in group T3 compared to the other groups. This result also indicated that body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency were increased along with increasing dose of Halquinol. No significant (P>0.05) differences were found in dressing percentage, liver, heart and gizzard among the dietary treatment groups. However, the dressing weight, breast meat, thigh meat, and head weight was significantly (p<0.05) higher in birds supplied with Halquinol @ 1g/ kg feed group (T3) compare to control (T0) group. Present study revealed that hematological parameters, including Hb, PCV and ESR value of the birds of different groups does not differ significantly among the groups and it was within the normal range. Cost effective analysis of the experiment demonstrated that by using Halquinol @ 1g/ kg feed significantly (P<0.05) higher net profit than other dietary treatment groups and also highest profit over control (14.95Tk.). Based on the results of present study it may be suggested that supplementation of Halquinol can be used as a commercial growth promoter for the production of Sonali chicken. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. June 2019, 5(4): 316-323