In this study, we evaluated the validity of a fluorescence-based assay using SYBR Green I (SG I) stain for screening antibabesial compounds against B. microti in mice. Two different hematocrits (HCTs; 2.5% and 5%) were used. Correlating relative fluorescence units (RFUs) with parasitemia showed significant linear relationships with R2 values of 0.97 and 0.99 at HCTs of 2.5% and 5%, respectively. Meanwhile, the Z′ factors in a high-throughput screening (HTS) assay were within the permissible limit (≥0.5) at 2.5% HCT and lower than this value at 5% HCT. Taken together, the highest signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios were obtained at 2.5% HCT; therefore, we concluded that 2.5% was the best HCT for applying fluorescence assay in antibabesial drug screening in mice. Additionally, positive control mice and those treated with diminazene aceturate, pyronaridine tetraphosphate, and an allicin/diminazene aceturate combination showed peak parasitemia and fluorescence values on the same day post-inoculation. Moreover, using different concentrations of SG I revealed that the optimal concentration was 2x. In summary, considering that all experiments were applied under optimal laboratory conditions, fluorescence assay at 2.5% HCT using 2x SG I for B. microti parasite offers a novel approach for drug screening in mice.

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An experiment was conducted to determine the impact of using garlic and ginger powder on growth performance, body composition, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activities in muscle tissues of Nile tilapia fingerlings. Three isonitrogenous (32%) and isocaloric (3000 kcal DE) diets were formulated , control basal diet, diet supplemented with 1.5% ginger powder, other diet supplemented with 1.5% garlic powder and fed to the fish for sixty days at 3% body weight. No significant effects were found in final body weight (FBW) between experimental groups of fish. Body weight gain (BWG) and specific growth rate (SGR) were significantly (p≤ 0.05) decreased in Nile tilapia fish fed diets supplemented with garlic and ginger powder compared to the control group. Also, there was improvement of feed conversion ratio (FCR) of Nile tilapia fish fed control basal diet compared with other experimental groups. No significant differences in proximate chemical composition of whole body of fish between experimental groups. Lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA) in muscle tissues of fish groups fed diets supplemented with ginger and garlic (1.5%), respectively, showed a significant (p≤ 0.05) decrease in MDA levels. Also, superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly (p≤ 0.05) increase in fish group fed diet supplemented with garlic compared with other experimental groups. No significant differences of Catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) of fish muscle of experimental groups. To sum up, adding garlic and ginger at 1.5% had no significant effect on Nile tilapia growth performance, body composition, while using of garlic as a feed additive significantly reduce lipid peroxidation and had antioxidant effect.

Recent experiments showed a potential cardiotoxic effect of the macrolide antibiotic (tulathromycin). This study was performed to investigate whether diclofenac sodium (DFS) potentiates the cardiotoxicity of tulathromycin and increases the cardioprotective effects of lycopene against DFS and tulathromycin. Seven groups (eight per group) of adult Swiss albino mice received saline (control), tulathromycin (a single subcutaneous dose of 28 mg/kg/bw on day 14), DFS (a single oral dose of 100 mg/kg/bw on day 14), tulathromycin plus DFS, or lycopene (oral, 10 mg/kg/bw daily for 15 d) combined with tulathromycin, DFS, or both. Compared to the control group, the administration of tulathromycin or DFS (individually or in combination) caused significantly elevated (p < 0.05) serum levels of Creatine kinase-myocardial B fraction (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase, and cardiac-specific troponin-T and tissue levels of nitric oxide and malondialdehyde that were accompanied by significantly decreased tissue reduced glutathione content and glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase antioxidant enzyme activity. Upon histopathological and immunohistochemical examination, the mean pathology scores and the percentages of caspase-3-, Bax-, and CK-positive regions were significantly higher in the tulathromycin- and/or DFS-treated groups than in control mice. For all these parameters, the pathological changes were more significant in the tulathromycin–DFS combination group than in mice treated with either drug individually. Interestingly, co-administration of lycopene with tulathromycin and/or DFS significantly ameliorated the changes described above. In conclusion, DFS could potentiate the cardiotoxic effects of tulathromycin, whereas lycopene can serve as a cardioprotective agent against DFS and tulathromycin.