beta-carotene and Fascioliasis

This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between serum levels of vitamin A and β-carotene in the liver of cattle.. A total number of 150 samples were selected according to the type of parasitic infections of the liver after postmortem examination and confirmation. Parasitic lesions in the liver were subdivided into three major parasites, including Fasciola hepatica, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, and hydatid cysts. Fifty samples were obtained from cattle without any parasitic infection as a control group. Serum levels of vitamin A, β-carotene concentrations (μg/dL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity were assayed.. Naturally infected cattle with D. dendriticum, F. hepatica and hydatid cyst showed lower vitamin A levels. Serum β-carotene levels were significantly decreased in all groups (p<0.05). ALT and AST activities in animals with parasitic diseases were statistically higher than in control group (p<0.01). A significant negative correlation was determined between the β-carotene, vitamin A levels and enzyme activities of the liver in all the three types of liver infections (p<0.001).. This study indicated that serum levels of vitamin A and β-carotene decline was present in cattle with liver parasite infection and vitamin supplements should be supplied.

Topics: Animals; beta Carotene; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Dicrocoeliasis; Dicrocoelium; Echinococcosis; Echinococcus granulosus; Fasciola hepatica; Fascioliasis; Liver; Vitamin A

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of natural distomatosis infections on sheep liver malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, activities of enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn-SOD), catalase (CAT)) and concentrations of non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamin C, and beta-carotene). Eighteen Akkaraman sheep naturally infected with Fasciola sp and Dicrocoelium dentriticum (D. dentriticum) and ten healthy Akkaraman sheep were included in the study Liver samples for the analysis of MDA, GPx, Cu, Zn-SOD, CAT, GSH, vitamin C, and beta-carotene and blood samples for the measurement of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were collected immediately after sheep in the two groups were slaughtered. The concentration of MDA and activity of GPx in the group with distomatosis were higher than in the control group (P < 0.001). However, the Cu, Zn-SOD, CAT activities and the GSH, vitamin C concentrations in the infected group were significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.001). The serum beta-carotene was not found to be statistically different in the two groups (P > 0.05). ALT and AST serum activities of the group with distomatosis were significantly higher in comparison to the control group (P < 0.001). In this study it was demonstrated that lipid peroxidation increased and activities or/and concentrations of antioxidant compounds were significantly changed in the liver of sheep with distomatosis.

Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Animals; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Aspartate Aminotransferases; beta Carotene; Catalase; Dicrocoeliasis; Dicrocoelium; Fasciola; Fasciola hepatica; Fascioliasis; Glutathione; Glutathione Peroxidase; Lipid Peroxidation; Liver; Malondialdehyde; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Superoxide Dismutase