No abstract

Gentamicin (GNT)-induced nephrotoxicity culminates into renal failure with a possible cardiovascular impact. Garlic extract (GE) is a cardiovascular protectant with limited mechanistic data. Therefore, we assessed the disturbance in specific cardiac parameters and the potential protective effect of GE supplementation against them in a rat model of GNT-induced chronic renal failure (CRF). Adult male rats (n = 24) were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 6 each): normal controls (CON), garlic extract controls (GE; 250 mg kg, orally), GNT-induced CRF (GNT; 100 mg kg, i.p.), and GNT + GE (GNT and GE in the same previous doses) groups. GNT and GE were given daily for 3 weeks. Animals co-treated with GNT and GE exhibited improved renal functions, body weight (BW), and heart weight (HW)/BW ratio; declined blood pressure; lowered plasma levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and total peroxides (TP); and elevated total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels. Moreover, the heart tissue contained raised levels of TAC and Na/K-ATPase activity and lowered levels of TP and Ca. Findings provide evidence that administration of GE in experimental CRF model helped protect the heart through reducing oxidative stress and controlling cardiac Na/K-ATPase activity and Ca levels.

An in situ study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding red osier dogwood (ROD) on ruminal digestion of barley, ROD, and barley silage in beef heifers. Heifers were fed diets that varied by substituting ROD for barley silage at 0%, 3%, 7%, or 10%. Slowly degradable fraction and effective degradability (ED) of ROD crude protein (CP) linearly (P < 0.02) increased with increasing ROD. The ED of CP of barley and barley silage was reduced (P < 0.01) by feeding ROD. These results indicate that feeding ROD potentially reduces ruminal protein degradability, thereby improving protein efficiency.

No abstract

The present work deals with the evaluation of heavy metals pollution in raw cow's milk and groundwater in Upper Egypt. So, a total of 102 milk and ground water samples were collected from three Governorates in Upper Egypt, namely, Assiut, Sohag and Qena. Concentrations of lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn) in the digested water and milk samples were determined by Buck model 210 VGP atomic absorption spectrophotometer with flame atomization. Our data showed that the average mean of lead, Iron and cadmium in collected water and milk samples were (0.195 ppm and 0.075 ppm), (0.00040 ppm and 0.00026 ppm) and (3.949 ppm and 0.869ppm), respectively. However, we could not detect Manganese either in milk or water samples. Furthermore, Statistical analysis of data showed that there was a significant correlation (p< 0.05) between heavy metal pollution in milk and that of correspondent examined groundwater samples.