alpha-cyclodextrin and Weight-Gain

The efficacy of orally administered tablets containing alpha-cyclodextrin, an excipient used in the pharmaceutical industry with demonstrated anticryptosporidial activity in vitro and in neonatal mice, was evaluated in neonatal goat kids. The formulation was evaluated for hardness and was subjected to in vitro drug release studies. Twenty goat kids were orally inoculated with 10(6) oocysts of C. parvum within the first 6 days of age. Half of the animals were treated by oral administration of four tablets of alpha-cyclodextrin/day (500 mg/kg of body weight) for six consecutive days, the treatment beginning on the day of inoculation. Infection was monitored by daily examination of faecal samples from the first day to 25 days post-inoculation. The criteria studied in evaluating efficacy were: oocyst shedding, presence of diarrhoea and weight gain at 15 and 25 days post-inoculation. alpha-cyclodextrin was effective when given at the beginning of infection: there was a longer pre-patent period, a reduction in the patent period and a decrease in the intensity of infection, these differences being statistically significant (P < 0.05) compared with untreated neonatal kids. Moreover, except in one animal, the diarrhoea was prevented in infected neonatal kids. Animals from both groups increased the body weight and no significant differences were seen between the two groups.

Topics: alpha-Cyclodextrins; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium parvum; Cyclodextrins; Diarrhea; Feces; Female; Goat Diseases; Goats; Male; Parasite Egg Count; Weight Gain

The effect of dietary cyclodextrins on liver and serum lipids and cecal organic acid production was investigated. Male Wistar rats were fed a basal diet and a diet containing 5% of alpha-, beta-, or gamma-cyclodextrin. The body weight gain in rats fed the alpha-cyclodextrin diet was not significantly different from rats fed the other three kinds of diets. The feeding of dietary alpha-cyclodextrin increased total lipid and phospholipids in the liver. Beta-cyclodextrin significantly lowered serum total cholesterol and phospholipid levels compared with the basal diet et al. A decrease in serum triacylglycerol levels was also observed in beta-cyclodextrin-fed rats. Dietary alpha-cyclodextrin significantly increased the weight of cecal tissues and contents, and an approximate fourfold increase in acetate, propionate, and total organic acids was noted, indicating the fermentibility of beta-cyclodextrin compared with the basal diet. It seems likely that the suppression of serum cholesterol levels by alpha- and beta-cyclodextrins might be due to the increasing acetate and propionate productions in the cecum. cecal organic acid, cyclodextrin, serum cholesterol, rats

Topics: Acetates; alpha-Cyclodextrins; Animals; beta-Cyclodextrins; Blood Glucose; Butyrates; Cecum; Cholesterol; Cyclodextrins; Fermentation; gamma-Cyclodextrins; Lipid Metabolism; Lipids; Liver; Male; Propionates; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Succinic Acid; Triglycerides; Weight Gain