Changes in the Antioxidant and Mineral Status of Rabbits After Administration of Dietary Zinc and/or Thyme Extract

Abstract

This study was aimed at determining the impact of organic zinc (Zn) and thyme extract (TE) administration, given alone or together for 6 weeks, on the antioxidant and mineral status (Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn) in the plasma and tissues of growing rabbits. A total of 96 rabbits of age 35 days were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: a control group (C), a Zn group supplemented with dietary zinc (50 mg/kg), a TE group receiving thyme extract applied in drinking water (1 ml/L), and a Zn + TE group treated with both additives. Lipid peroxidation in the plasma was influenced by Zn intake and in the kidney was affected by both the Zn and TE treatment (P < 0.05). Zn supplementation led to a significant increase in glutathione peroxidase activity (P = 0.017), total antioxidant capacity (P = 0.009) and total thiol groups level (P = 0.047) in the kidney, with the highest values occurring in rabbits receiving the combination Zn + TE. Administration of TE influenced Zn content in the kidney (P < 0.001), while zinc intake decreased Cu concentration in muscle (P = 0.021). In conclusion, the simultaneous administration of organic Zn and TE positively affected the antioxidant response of kidneys and can be used for improving the antioxidant status of growing rabbits.

Current Prospects of Nutraceuticals in Rabbit Productivity and Health – an Updated Review

“…Furthermore, Bacova et al (2020) documented that dietary supplementation of thymol (250 mg/kg feed) increased muscle concentrations of oleic acid, MUFA, α-linolenic acid, and docosapentaenoic acid and reduced plasma concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, and MDA. These results are in accordance with Kucková et al (2021) who showed that thyme extract added to drinking water (1 ml/L) reduced lipid peroxidation (MDA concentration) in kidney and liver and positively affected the antioxidant response of growing rabbits.…”

“…Importantly, several studies proved that dietary Zn supplementation improved nutrients' digestibility including DM, CP, EE, and CF in rabbits (Hafez et al, 2002;Chrastinová et al, 2016;Al-Sagheer et al, 2020;Abdel-Wareth et al, 2020). Moreover, dietary Zn supplementation had a beneficial impact on antioxidant properties, and immune response in rabbits (El-Moghazy et al, 2019;Kamel et al, 2020;Kucková et al, 2021;Hassan et al, 2021b). Kamel et al (2020) elucidated that dietary different Zn sources (50 mg ZnO/ kg diet or 30 mg nano-Zn/ kg diet) elevated serum concentrations of GSH, GST, SOD, immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL-cholesterol), while reduced serum concentrations of triglycerides and MDA in growing rabbits subjected to heat stress conditions.…”

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Either Zinc Oxide or Nano-Zinc Oxide on Growth Performance, some Serum Biochemical Parameters, Androgen Receptor Gene Expression and Microscopical Structure of the Testis in Growing V-Line Male Rabbits

“…ZnO = Zinc Oxide, n-ZnO = nano-Zinc Oxide, SOD = superoxide dismutase enzyme, CAT = catalase enzyme, T 3 = triiodothyronine, T 4 = thyroxine, AR = androgen receptor gene expression their values were greater (P ≤ 0.05) in the 3 rd group than 2 nd group, throughout the experimental period. Likewise, zinc (Kuckova et al, 2021) and n-ZnO (Abdel-Monem et al, 2021) supplementation in animal feed leads to high antioxidant activities of CAT, GSH-Px, and SOD. In this context, zinc is considered a component of more than 240 enzymes and an essential component in SOD (Prasad, 2008).…”

Natural and Biological Dietary Herbal Extracts Supplement on Productive and Physiological Parameters, Cecal Fermentation, and Meat Characteristics of Growing Rabbits

“…The addition of dietary thyme to rabbit diets has been shown to significantly improve feed conversion ratio (FCR) by promoting feed intake, boosting body weight, body weight growth, and intestinal health (Placha et al, 2013;Kucková et al, 2021). Additionally, thyme contains antibacterial and antioxidant characteristics.…”