Effect of Momordica charantia Administration on Anthropometric Measures and Metabolic Profile in Patients with Obesity: A Pilot Clinical Trial

Marisol Cortez-Navarrete,Miriam Mendez-del Villar,Esperanza Martınez-Abundis,Luis D. Lo´pez-Murillo,Miriam de J. Escobedo-Gutie´rrez,Lizet Y. Rosales-Rivera,Karina G. Perez-Rubio 한국식품영양과학회 2022 Journal of medicinal food Vol.25 No.6

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Momordica charantia (MC) administration on anthropometric measures in patients with obesity. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial was carried out in 24 patients with obesity. Twelve patients randomly received MC (2000 mg/day) for 12 weeks, and 12 patients received placebo. Body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage, as well as clinical and laboratory determinations, were evaluated before and after the intervention. Results showed that while reductions in BW, BMI, WC, and body fat percentage were observed in the MC group, these differences did not reach statistical significance. Significant decreases in triglycerides (TG) (1.9 ± 0.6 mM vs. 1.7 ± 0.7 mM, P ≤ .05) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) (0.4 ± 0.1 mM vs. 0.3 ± 0.1 mM, P ≤ .05) levels were found after the intervention with MC. In contrast, significant increases in BW (83.0 ± 10.7 kg vs. 84.6 ± 9.1 kg, P ≤ .05) and BMI (31.9 ± 1.5 kg/m2 vs. 33.0 ± 1.3 kg/m2, P ≤ .05) were observed in the placebo group. In conclusion, no significant reductions in BW, BMI, WC, and body fat percentage were observed after MC administration; however, MC significantly decreased TG and VLDL levels. The protocol was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT04916379.

Effects of Combining Feed Grade Urea and a Slow-release Urea Product on Characteristics of Digestion, Microbial Protein Synthesis and Digestible Energy in Steers Fed Diets with Different Starch:ADF Ratios

Lopez-Soto, M.A.,Rivera-Mendez, C.R.,Aguilar-Hernandez, J.A.,Barreras, A.,Calderon-Cortes, J.F.,Plascencia, A.,Davila-Ramos, H.,Estrada-Angulo, A.,Valdes-Garcia, Y.S. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2014 Animal Bioscience Vol.27 No.2

As a result of the cost of grains, the replacement of grains by co-products (i.e. DDGS) in feedlot diets is a common practice. This change produces diets that contain a lower amount of starch and greater amount of fibre. Hypothetically, combining feed grade urea (U) with slow release urea (Optigen) in this type of diet should elicit a better synchrony between starch (high-rate of digestion) and fibre (low-rate of digestion) promoting a better microbial protein synthesis and ruminal digestion with increasing the digestible energy of the diet. Four cannulated Holstein steers ($213{\pm}4$ kg) were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to examine the combination of Optigen and U in a finishing diet containing different starch:acid detergent fibre ratios (S:F) on the characteristics of digestive function. Three S:F ratios (3.0, 4.5, and 6.0) were tested using a combination of U (0.80%) and Optigen (1.0%). Additionally, a treatment of 4.5 S:F ratio with urea (0.80% in ration) as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used to compare the effect of urea combination at same S:F ratio. The S:F ratio of the diet was manipulated by replacing the corn grain by dried distillers grain with solubles and roughage. Urea combination did not affect ruminal pH. The S:F ratio did not affect ruminal pH at 0 and 2 h post-feeding but, at 4 and 6 h, the ruminal pH decreased as the S:F ratio increased (linear, p<0.05). Ruminal digestion of OM, starch and feed N were not affected by urea combination or S:F ratio. The urea combination did not affect ADF ruminal digestion. ADF ruminal digestion decreased linearly (p = 0.02) as the S:F ratio increased. Compared to the urea treatment (p<0.05) and within the urea combination treatment (quadratic, p<0.01), the flow of microbial nitrogen (MN) to the small intestine and ruminal microbial efficiency were greater for the urea combination at a S:F ratio of 4.5. Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved (2.8%, p = 0.02) postruminal N digestion. As S:F ratio increased, OM digestion increased, but ADF total tract digestion decreased. The combination of urea at 4.5 S:F improved (2%, p = 0.04) the digestible energy (DE) more than expected. Combining urea and Optigen resulted in positive effects on the MN flow and DE of the diet, but apparently these advantages are observed only when there is a certain proportion of starch:ADF in the diet.

Effects of Combining Feed Grade Urea and a Slow-release Urea Product on Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics of Feedlot Lambs Fed Finishing Diets with Different Starch to Acid Detergent Fiber Ratios

Estrada-Angulo, A.,Lopez-Soto, M.A.,Rivera-Mendez, C.R.,Castro, B.I.,Rios, F.G.,Davila-Ramos, H.,Barreras, A.,Urias-Estrada, J.D.,Zinn, R.A.,Plascencia, A. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2016 Animal Bioscience Vol.29 No.12

Recent findings have shown that microbial nitrogen flow and digestible energy of diets are increased when urea is combined with a slow-release urea (SRU) in diets with a starch to acid detergent fibre ratio (S:F) 4:1. This affect is attributable to enhanced synchrony between ruminal N availability for microbial growth and carbohydrate degradation. To verify the magnitude of this effects on lamb performance, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of combining urea and a SRU in diets containing S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 on performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics of finishing lambs. For that, 40 Pelibuey${\times}$Katahdin lambs ($36.65{\pm}3kg$) were assigned to one of five weight groupings in 20 pens (5 repetition/treatments). The S:F ratio in the diet was manipulated by partially replacing the corn grain and dried distiller's grain with solubles by forage (wheat straw) and soybean meal to reach S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1. An additional treatment of 4:1 S:F ratio with 0.8% urea as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used as a reference for comparing the effect of urea combination vs. conventional urea at the same S:F ratio. There were no treatment effects on dry matter intake (DMI). Compared the urea combination vs urea at the same S:F ratio, urea combination increased (p<0.01) average daily gain (ADG, 18.3%), gain for feed (G:F, 9.5%), and apparent energy retention per unit DMI (8.2%). Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved the observed-to-expected dietary ratio and apparent retention per unit DMI was maximal (quadratic effect, $p{\leq}0.03$) at an S:F ratio of 4:1, while the conventional urea treatment did not modify the observed-to-expected net energy ratio nor the apparent retention per unit DMI at 4:1 S:F ratio. Urea combination group tended (3.8%, p = 0.08) to have heavier carcasses with no effects on the rest of carcass characteristics. As S:F ratio increased, ADG, G:F, dietary net energy, carcass weight, dressing percentage and longissimus thoracis (LM) area increased linearly ($p{\leq}0.02$). Combining urea and a slow-release urea product results in positive effects on growth performance and dietary energetics, but the best responses are apparently observed when there is a certain proportion (S:F ratio = 4:1) of starch to acid detergent fibre in the diet.

The influence of shade allocation or total shade plus overhead fan on growth performance, efficiency of dietary energy utilization, and carcass characteristics of feedlot cattle under tropical ambient conditions

Castro-Perez, Beatriz I.,Estrada-Angulo, Alfredo,Rios-Rincon, Francisco G.,Nunez-Benitez, Victor H.,Rivera-Mendez, Carlos R.,Urias-Estrada, Jesus D.,Zinn, Richard A.,Barreras, Alberto,Plascencia, Alej Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2020 Animal Bioscience Vol.33 No.6

Objective: The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of shade allocation and shade plus fan on growth performance, dietary energy utilization and carcass characteristics of feedlot cattle under tropical ambient conditions Methods: Two trials were conducted, involving a total of 1,560 young bulls (289±22 kg BW) assigned to 24 pens (65 bulls/pen and 6 pens/treatment). Pens were 585 ㎡ with 15 m fence line feed bunks. Shade treatments (㎡ shade/animal) were: i) limited shade (LS) to 1.2 ㎡ shade/animal (LS_1.2); ii) limited shade to 2.4 ㎡ shade/animal (LS_2.4); iii) total shade (TS) which correspond to 9 ㎡/animal, and iv) total shade equipped with fans (TS+F). Trials lasted 158 and 183 days. In both studies, the average weekly maximum temperature exceeded 34℃. Results: Increasing shade allocation tended (p = 0.08) to linearly increases average daily gain (ADG), and dry matter intake (DMI, quadratic effect, p = 0.03). This effect was most apparent between LS_1.2 and LS_2.4. Shade allocation, per se, did not affect gain efficiency or estimated dietary net energy (NE). Compared with TS, TS+F increased (p<0.05) ADG, gain efficiency, and tended (p = 0.06) to increase dietary NE. There was a quadratic effect of shade on longissimus area and marbling score, with values being lower (p<0.01) for LS_2.4 than for LS_1.2 or TS. Likewise, marbling score was lower for TS+F than for TS. Percentage kidney, pelvic, and heart (KPH) linearly decreased with increasing shade. In contrast, KPH was greater for TS than for TS+F. Conclusion: Providing more than 2.4 ㎡ shade/animal will not further enhance feedlot performance. The use of fans in combination with shade increases ADG and gain efficiency beyond that of shade, alone. These enhancements were not associated with increased DMI, but rather, to an amelioration of ambient temperature humidity index on maintenance energy requirement.