RESUMEN

There have been a plethora of studies on the effects of access to runs on chickens' welfare and behavioural repertoire with a paucity of information on the comparative advantage of various legume pasture and deep litter system. A total of 200-day-old unsexed Marshall Broiler chicks were weighed and assigned randomly into five experimental groups, viz. deep litter without access to run (DL), deep litter with access to Stylosanthes hamata (SH), Stylosanthes guanensis (SG), Mucuna pruriens (MP) and free run (FR) during dry season. Each treatment had 4 replicates of 10 birds. Data were collected on growth performance, behaviour, tonic immobility (TI), gait score and blood parameters. The data obtained were subjected to One-Way Analysis of Variance in a Completely Randomized Design. Results showed that the final body weight of birds in SH was significantly higher (p Ë‚ .05) than those of SH, MP, FR and DL which were comparable. The feed intake of the birds of DL, SH and FR was higher than those of the other treatment groups. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the birds on legume pastures was lower than those without access to pasture. The birds of SH, SG and MP spent higher (p Ë‚ .05) time drinking, preening, dust-bathing, spot pecking and walking standing behaviours while those in DL and FR spent more (p Ë‚ .05) time feeding. Generally, the gait score of the birds on the different legume pastures was similar but better than those without access to pasture. Tonic immobility of the DL birds was longer than that of FR whose duration was longer than those of the birds on the pastures. The study concluded that access to different legume pastures, particularly Stylosanthes hamata, improved the welfare of broiler chickens without adverse effect on the performance of the birds.

Asunto(s)

Bienestar del Animal , Pollos/fisiología , Mucuna , Poaceae , Clima Tropical , Crianza de Animales Domésticos , Animales , Pollos/crecimiento & desarrollo , Nigeria , Distribución Aleatoria , Estaciones del Año

RESUMEN

The overall study goal was to produce a microparticle formulation containing atropine sulfate for ocular administration with improved efficacy and lower side effects, compared with that of the standard marketed atropine solution. The objective was to prepare an atropine sulfate-loaded bovine serum albumin-chitosan microparticle that would have longer contact time on the eyes as well as better mydriatic and cycloplegic effect using a rabbit model. The microparticle formulation was prepared by method of spray-drying technique. The percent drug loading and encapsulation efficiency were assessed using a USP (I) dissolution apparatus. The particle sizes and zeta potential were determined using laser scattering technique and the surface morphology of the microparticles was determined using a scanning electron microscope. The product yield was calculated from relative amount of material used. In vitro cytotoxicity and uptake by human corneal epithelial cells were examined using AlamarBlue and confocal microscopy. The effects of the microparticle formulation on mydriasis in comparison with the marketed atropine sulfate solution were evaluated in rabbit eyes. The prepared microparticle formulation had ideal physicochemical characteristics for delivery into the eyes. The in vivo studies showed that the microparticles had superior effects on mydriasis in rabbits than the marketed solutions

Asunto(s)

Atropina/síntesis química , Quitosano/síntesis química , Córnea , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Microesferas , Albúmina Sérica Bovina/síntesis química , Animales , Atropina/administración & dosificación , Atropina/metabolismo , Bovinos , Células Cultivadas , Química Farmacéutica , Quitosano/administración & dosificación , Quitosano/metabolismo , Córnea/efectos de los fármacos , Córnea/metabolismo , Ojo/efectos de los fármacos , Ojo/metabolismo , Humanos , Midriasis/tratamiento farmacológico , Midriasis/metabolismo , Conejos , Albúmina Sérica Bovina/administración & dosificación , Albúmina Sérica Bovina/metabolismo

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: Oral immunization for mucosal protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis would be the best option for effective tuberculosis (TB) control. However, this route of vaccine delivery is limited due to the short residence time of the delivery system at the site of absorption. Cytoadhension has made it possible to optimize the targeted delivery of oral vaccine to lymphoid tissues. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the ability of human M-cell specific lectin-labeled microparticles to target the human M-cells of the Peyer's patches. METHOD: Albumin microspheres containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell lysate antigens were coupled with Wheat germ agglutinin and Aleuria aurantia lectins and their ability to bind to M cell models as well as their preferential distribution in the Peyer's patches were investigated. RESULTS: The study demonstrated an enhanced delivery of targeted polystyrene and BSA/Lysate microspheres to M cells. It was demonstrated that alpha-l-fucose sugar residue might be the target of these lectins. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded from the study that the lectin-coupled microspheres had better affinity for M-cells and showed preferential binding to the Peyer's patches. This means that the coupling enhanced the targeted delivery of the antigens to the M cells.

Asunto(s)

Antígenos Bacterianos/administración & dosificación , Antígenos Bacterianos/química , Vacuna BCG/administración & dosificación , Vacuna BCG/química , Lectinas/administración & dosificación , Lectinas/química , Administración Oral , Albúminas/inmunología , Fosfatasa Alcalina/metabolismo , Animales , Antígenos Bacterianos/inmunología , Vacuna BCG/inmunología , Células CACO-2 , Línea Celular Tumoral , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Fucosa/administración & dosificación , Fucosa/química , Fucosa/inmunología , Humanos , Lectinas/inmunología , Ratones , Microesferas , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/inmunología , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/metabolismo , Ganglios Linfáticos Agregados/inmunología , Poliestirenos/administración & dosificación , Poliestirenos/química , Poliestirenos/inmunología , Tuberculosis/prevención & control

RESUMEN

Most ocular surgical procedures take approximately 60 min to complete, the anaesthetic property of the safest drug, tetracaine, is initiated in a few minutes and lasts approximately 10-15 min. The purpose of the present study was to develop an ocular tetracaine formulation which can produce an immediate onset of action and/or longer duration of action during the entire surgical procedure. Tetracaine-loaded microparticle formulation was prepared by the method of spray-drying and characterized in terms of size, zeta potential, morphology, thermal stability and release pattern. The study reports a microparticulate ocular formulation with minimum cytotoxicity and optimum cellular uptake. In addition, microencapsulated tetracaine was found to significantly increase the duration of action of the drug up to 4-fold. Taken together, the results presented in this work described albumin-chitosan microparticles to be an effective delivery platform for ocular anaesthetic agents and a potential treatment of various ocular diseases.

Asunto(s)

Anestésicos Locales/administración & dosificación , Quitosano/química , Portadores de Fármacos/química , Soluciones Oftálmicas/química , Albúmina Sérica Bovina/química , Tetracaína/administración & dosificación , Animales , Bovinos , Línea Celular , Supervivencia Celular , Quitosano/metabolismo , Córnea/citología , Portadores de Fármacos/metabolismo , Composición de Medicamentos/métodos , Estabilidad de Medicamentos , Células Epiteliales/citología , Células Epiteliales/metabolismo , Ojo/metabolismo , Humanos , Soluciones Oftálmicas/metabolismo , Tamaño de la Partícula , Conejos , Albúmina Sérica Bovina/metabolismo

RESUMEN

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of lectin-coupled microspheres to improve the targeted delivery of protein antigens to the lymphoid tissues of mucosal surfaces. Bovine serum albumin containing acid phosphatase model protein and polystyrene microspheres were coupled with mouse M-cell-specific Ulex europaeus lectin. The coupling efficiency, physical characteristics and the binding capabilities of the microspheres to the follicle associated epithelium of the Peyer's patches were evaluated in vitro and ex vivo in mice intestine. The results showed that coupling of lectin to albumin microspheres did not significantly affect the bioactivity of the encapsulated acid phosphatase model protein. It was also shown that there was preferential binding of the lectin-coupled microspheres to the follicle-associated epithelium. It was concluded from the results of the study that coupling of ligands such as lectin specific to cells of the follicle associated epithelium can increase the targeting of encapsulated candidate antigens for delivery to the Peyer's patches of the intestine for improved oral delivery.

Asunto(s)

Fosfatasa Ácida/farmacología , Antígenos/farmacología , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Mucosa Intestinal/efectos de los fármacos , Lectinas/química , Microesferas , Ganglios Linfáticos Agregados/efectos de los fármacos , Fosfatasa Ácida/química , Animales , Bovinos , Tracto Gastrointestinal/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Lectinas de Plantas/química , Albúmina Sérica Bovina/farmacología

RESUMEN

The syntheses of a cobalt(III) complex, 2, containing N-(2-pyridylmethyl)urea and of six complexes, 3, containing phenyl-substituted N-2-pyridylmethyl-N'-(X)phenylureas (where X = 4-H, 4-CH(3), 4-Br, 3-Cl, 4-CF(3), and 4-NO(2)), have been accomplished by reaction of [(en)(2)Co(OSO(2)CF(3))(2)](CF(3)SO(3)) with the urea ligands in tetramethylene sulfone. The complexes have been characterized by UV-vis, FTIR, (1)H NMR, and (13)C NMR spectra along with elemental analysis. Also, X-ray crystallographic analysis of 2 confirms that the urea ligand chelates as a bidentate through the pyridyl nitrogen atom and the endo deprotonated, urea nitrogen atom to form a stable five-membered ring. Crystals of the perchlorate salt of 2 were monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c with a = 9.743(1) Å, b = 13.924(3) Å, c = 15.006(4) Å, beta = 97.07(1) degrees, and Z = 4. Reflection data (3454) with I = 3sigma(I) were refined to conventional R factors of 0.037 and 0.051. In acidic solution (0.05-1.00 M HCl at 55 degrees C), the phenyl-substituted complexes undergo hydrolysis to form the bis(ethylenediamine)(2-picolylamine-N,N')cobalt(III) ion, 4, aniline, and CO(2). The hydrolysis kinetics of the phenyl-substituted complexes were studied by UV-vis spectroscopy (I = 1.00 M HCl/LiCl). At 55 degrees C the observed rate constants fit the rate law k(obsd) = kK[H(+)]/(1 + K[H(+)]). It is proposed that the protonated urea eliminates aniline to give a coordinated isocyanate intermediate that hydrolyzes rapidly to the pyridyl methylamine complex and CO(2) via the carbamate complex. Since all of the studies of this kind to date appear to involve the NCO intermediate, it raises the prospect that urease also functions by a similar path and that urease should be tested with NCO(-) as a substrate.