The effects of dietary supplementation with Yucca schidigera extract or fractions thereof on nitrogen metabolism and gastrointestinal fermentation processes in the rat

Abstract

: Y ucca schidigera was fractionated with butan-1-ol, yielding a butanolextractable (BE) fraction, containing all the in vitro antimicrobial activity, and the aqueous, non-butanol-extractable (NBE) fraction. Four groups of Ðve female rats (12 weeks old) were allowed ad libitum access to diets supplemented with water (control) or 200 mg kg~1 total Y schidigera (TOT) or its fraction equivalent of NBE or BE for 64 days. The e †ects of the fractions and their interactions in the TOT treatment were analysed according to the factorial experimental structure by two-way ANOVA. NBE reduced serum urea ([50%, P \ 0É019) and ammonia ([46%, P \ 0É037) concentrations, serum/urine concentration quotients of urea ([79%, P \ 0É009) and ammonia ([57%, P \ 0É002). NBE also reduced hindgut acetate/propionate ([12%, P \ 0É007) but increased faecal ammonia concentration (]87%, P \ 0É039). BE reduced hindgut indoles ([25%, P \ 0É023) and interacted synergystically with NBE in the TOT treatment to further reduce hindgut acetate/propionate by 6% (P \ 0É006). NBE increased (]27%, P \ 0É002) and BE decreased ([57%, P \ 0É005) hindgut urease activity levels, resulting in essentially no change (]4%) in the TOT treatment. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of Y schidigera is an unlikely explanation for most of its e †ects in vivo because these are caused by NBE and in vitro antimicrobial activity is exclusive to BE. Sarsasapogenin and smilagenin were also exclusive ([98%) to BE and cannot account for the e †ects of Y schidigera on N metabolism.1998 SCI. ( J Sci Food Agric 76, 91È99 (1998)

Effects of including saponins (Micro-Aid®) on intake, rumen fermentation and digestibility in steers fed low-quality prairie hay

“…Similar to the BUN differences in the current study, Caton et al (1988) observed an increase in BUN when providing a cottonseed-meal based supplement to forage fed lambs. As seen here, some reports show no effect on BUN when ruminants are supplemented with saponins (Wilson et al, 1998;Hristov et al, 1999), but more often it has been cited to reduce BUN (Hussain and Cheeke, 1995;Hussain et al, 1996;Killeen et al, 1998).…”

Use of phytogenic products as feed additives for swine and poultry1

“…Saponins (e.g., from Yucca schidigera) are proposed to reduce intestinal ammonia formation, and thus aerial pollution of housing environment, which is considered an important health stress, especially for young animals (Francis et al, 2002). Studies with rats confirmed the existence of active components in Y. schidigera extracts that lower intestinal urease activity and enzymes involved in the metabolic urea cycle (Killeen et al, 1998;Duffy et al, 2001). Reduced intestinal and fecal urease activities were also found in broilers fed such extracts (Nazeer et al, 2002).…”

“…Reduced intestinal and fecal urease activities were also found in broilers fed such extracts (Nazeer et al, 2002). However, yucca extracts were reported to contain subfractions with partially antagonistic properties on intestinal urease activity and ammonia formation (Killeen et al, 1998). Thus, further research seems to be required to clarify the potential of saponins as feed additives for swine and poultry diets.…”

Saponins and Phenolics of Yucca schidigera Roezl: Chemistry and Bioactivity

“…Since Y. schidigera extract has become commercially available, a number of investigations into its effects on a wide range of animals have been carried out (Hussain et al, 1996;Hristov et al, 1999;Killeen et al, 1998a;Colina et al, 2001;Duffy et al, 2001;Flaoyen et al, 2002;Kaya et al, 2003). These studies have shown that the extract has many benefits on growth and performance of livestock (Mader and Brumm, 1987;Anthony et al, 1994;Balog et al, 1994;Cline et al, 1996) in particular it reduces gastrointestinal and fecal ammonia levels (Cheeke, 2000).…”