• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.26 no.12
• /
• pp.1042-1046
• /
• 2003

This study was undertaken to observe the effects of the blend of partially purified Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponaria extracts on cholesterol levels in the human's blood and gastrointestinal functions, and to determine if a new cholesterol-lowering drug can be developed by the further purification of the extracts. Ultrafiltration and sequential diafiltration increased the amounts of steroidal saponin in aqueous yucca extract and terpenoid saponin in aqueous qullaja extract from 9.3% and 21.4% to 17.2% and 61.8%, respectively. Taking 0.9 mg of the blend (6:4, v:v) of the resulting filtrates a day for 4 weeks resulted in the decreases in total and LDL cholesterol levels in blood plasma of hyper-cholestrolemic patients with enhancement in gastrointestinal symptoms of patients.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.55 no.1
• /
• pp.46-51
• /
• 2019

This study was carried out to evaluate antimicrobial effects of a mixture of resin fractionated ethanol extract of Eucalyptus globulus, Yucca recurvifolia, and tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia). The plant fraction mixture showed low minimum inhibitory concentration (0.24~3.32 mg/ml) against several bacteria and yeast that usually used as the target skin microbes in a cosmetic industry, and it was more effective than antibiotics, triclosan and ampicillin. In a time-kill assay the plant fraction mixture reduced more than 92% of microbial populations during 4 h, and significantly increased leakage of nucleotides from all microorganisms tested. Antimicrobial effect of the plant fraction mixture was not affected by divalent cation ($Mg^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}$). These results suggest that the fraction mixture of ethanol extracts of E. globulus, Y. recurvifolia, and M. alternifolia may be utilized as an efficient preservative in cosmetics to prevent contamination by human skin microbes.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.47-51
• /
• 2018

In the present study, the characterization and properties of silver nanoparticles from Yucca shilerifera leaf extract (AgNPs) were investigated using UV-visible spectroscopic techniques, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering. The UV-visible spectroscopic analysis showed the absorbance peaked at 460 nm, which indicated the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The experimental results showed silver nanoparticles had Z-average diameter of 729 nm with lower stability (195.1 mV). Additionally, our dates revealed that AgNPs showed broad spectrum antagonism ($p{\leq}.05$) against Fusarium solani (83.05%) and Macrophomina phaseolina (67.05%) when compared to the control after nine days of incubation. Finally, AgNPs from leaf extracts of Y. shilerifera may be used as an agent of biocontrol of microorganism of importance. However, further studies will be needed to fully understand the agronanotechnological potentialities of AgNPs from Yucca schidigera.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.61-69
• /
• 2001

A total of 120 pigs were used to investigate the effects of yucca extracts on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and excretion of growing pigs fed different levels of dietary protein. Pigs were allotted into $2{\times}3$ factorial design by the supplementation with yucca extract (YE, 0 and 120 mg/kg) and 3 levels of dietary protein (16, 18, 20%). During the whole experimental period (18 to 52 kg body weight), there were no significant differences in ADG, ADFI or F/G by YE addition or different protein levels among treatments (p>0.05). Overall, although addition of YE to the diet and elevation of protein level showed better ADG, there were no significant differences in growth performance among treatments. Pigs fed diets with YE showed significantly (p<0.05) higher dry matter (DM), crude ash (CA) and crude protein (CP) digestibility than did the others during the growing period. Concerning the levels of dietary protein, only the CP digestibility was significantly higher in pigs fed high protein diet. Pig fed the low protein diet without YE showed a significantly low CP digestibility (p<0.05). No significant differences were found in crude fat (CF), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) digestibilities regardless of YE supplementation or dietary protein levels. Pigs fed YE supplemented diets showed significantly (p<0.05) higher amino acid digestibility. Also, high CP level diets showed a higher amino acid digestibility than low CP diets (p<0.05). DM and N excretion did not show any significant differences among treatments, there was a slightly lower excretion with increase in dietary protein level. Supplementation with YE significantly decreased the DM and N excretion. Interaction (YE$\times$protein) was found in P excretion. Pigs fed a medium protein diet without YE showed the lowest P excretion during the growing period. The NH3-N content in the feces tended to be increased by the increased dietary protein levels and with YE supplementation. During the whole experimental period, the cost for YE supplementation was similar to value of the improvements of performance obtained. The cost of feeding high level protein was significantly higher than that of medium level protein by 10% and low level protein by 9% (p<0.05). It could be concluded that the effects of dietary protein level and yucca extract on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and excretion might play a role to some extent in growing pigs from the aspect of pollution control.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.165-170
• /
• 2006

The antifungal activity of crude methanolic extract and fractions from Yucca smalliana Fern. leaves, roots and flowers were investigated in vitro against a panel of plant pathogenic fungi. The minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) was determined by an agar dilution method. Preliminary liquid culture and agar plate assays showed that the growth of Fu sarium oxysporum, Phytophthora capsici, Rhizoctonia solani and Botrytis cinerea were inhibited by Y. smalliana extracts. The extracts from flowers and leaves showed antifungal activity of 64.0% and 34.0% against F. oxysporum, 66.0% and 62.0% against P. capsici, and 27.0% and 41.0% against B. cinerea, respectively. The methanolic extract from Y. smallina leaves in distilled water was fractionated using solvents of increasing polarity: hexane, ethyl acetate and butanol. These fractions had a broad spectrum of antifungal activity, found to reside entirely in the butanol and aqueous fraction. The aqueous fraction showed inhibition rate of 60.0, 67.8, 84.6 and 58.3% against F. oxysporum, R. solani, C. gloeosporioides, and B. cinerea, respectively, and the butganol fracgtion showed 36.0, 46.0, 66.1 and 58.3%, respectively. Phenolics(e.g. flavonoids, steroids and terpenoids) were observed in the thin layer profile of the different fractions. Leave extract showed a prominent antioxidant activity totally scavenging the free radical of DPPH at a concentration of 1 mg/ml.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.525-534
• /
• 2001

A total of 120 pigs were used to investigate the effects of yucca extracts on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nutrient excretion and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs fed different levels of dietary protein. Pigs were allotted into $2{\times}3$ factorial design by the supplementation of yucca extracts (YE, 0 and 120 mg/kg) and 3 levels of dietary protein (14, 16, 18% for early finisher and 12, 14, 16% for late finisher for low, medium and high protein diet, respectively). During the early finishing period (51~76 kg BW), no significant difference was found in growth performance regardless of the YE supplementation or dietary protein levels. Growth performance of late finishing pigs (76~101 kg BW) was also not significantly different among treatments. However, ADG of pigs fed YE diet was significantly improved (p<0.05) regardless of the dietary protein levels. For the overall period (51~101 kg BW), although adding YE to the diet and elevating the protein level showed better ADG, there were no significant differences on growth performance among treatments. Early finishers showed significantly higher crude protein, crude ash and crude fat digestibilities when they were fed diets supplemented with YE. Digestibilities of amino acids were not affected by YE. Late finishers did not show any significant differences in proximate nutrient digestibilities regardless of YE supplementation or dietary protein levels. YE tended to slightly improve the CP digestibility, however no significant difference was found with increased dietary protein levels. There was no significant difference in amino acid digestibilities with YE supplementation or dietary CP levels during the late finishing period. Dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) excretion in feces did not show any significant difference among treatments. Early finishing pigs also did not respond to the inclusion of YE or dietary protein levels (p<0.05). Fecal N excretion of early finishing pigs seemed to be lowered in pigs fed YE. Pigs fed medium dietary protein diet tended to excrete a higher amount of N during the early finishing period, but not statistically different. A slight increase in fecal N excretion was found with the increased level of dietary protein during the late finishing period. For ammonia nitrogen excretion, although there was no significance, the NH3-N content tended to be increased by the increased dietary protein levels and with YE supplementation. The NH3-N content in manure increased by 24.5% with YE supplementation. There were no significant differences in carcass weight, backfat thickness, carcass grade and loin eye area among treatments. However, pigs fed non-YE with low protein diet showed a significantly (p<0.05) low carcass ratio among treatments and there was significant (p<0.05) difference between the YE-added treatment and non YE treatment in carcass ratio. As for the feed cost, the cost of feeding high level protein was higher than that of medium level protein by 5% and low level protein by 9% (p<0.05). Therefore, based on this study, it could be concluded that environmentally friendly agents might play a role to some extent in finishing pigs from the aspect of pollution control, and that more than 14 and 12% of dietary protein for early finishing and late finishing pigs respectively do not necessarily guarantee high growth performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.540-547
• /
• 2001

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of environmentally friendly agents (yucca extract, mineral feed additive, acidifier, nonspecific immunostimulating anionic alkali solution) on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nutrient excretion and carcass characteristics in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 125 pigs were allotted into 5 treatments with 5 replications, 5 pigs per pen in a completely randomized block design. Dietary treatments consisted of 1) control: basal diet, 2) YE: basal diet+120 mg/kg of yucca extract, 3) MFA: basal diet+50 mg/kg of mineral feed additive, 4) NIS: basal diet+3% of NIS (nonspecific immunostimulating anionic alkali solution), and 5) Acidifier: basal diet+0.5% of acidifier (organic acid complex). During the growing phase of the feeding trial, There were no significant differences in average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (F/G) among treatments, but the Acidifier group showed higher average daily gain (ADG) than the MFA group (p<0.05). During the finishing phase, there were no significant differences in growth performance among treatments, however YE supplementation increased ADG and F/G by 3.1 and 6.15%, respectively, when compared to control group. Proximate nutrients (dry matter, DM; crude protein, CP; crude ash, CA; crude fat, CF; gross energy, GE; calcium, Ca and phosphorus, P) digestibility did not show any significant differences among the treatments. And there were no significant differences in DM, N and P excretion as well. The supplementation of environmentally friendly agents tended to increase carcass weight compared to control group. Pigs fed MFA showed significantly heavier (p<0.05) carcass weight than those fed control or Acidifier diets. Addition of these agents except for NIS to diet for growing-finishing pigs caused a similar feed cost/kg weight gain than control group. Therefore, present study suggested that the optimum environmentally friendly agent would be yucca extracts, considering the effects on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nutrient excretion, carcass characteristics and feed cost in growing-finishing pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.8
• /
• pp.1199-1208
• /
• 2005

Abatement of greenhouse gas emitted from ruminants and promotion of biogas energy from animal effluent were comprehensively examined in each anaerobic fermentation reactor and animal experiments. Moreover, the energy conversion efficiency of biomass energy to power generation were evaluated with a gas engine generator or proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). To mitigate safely rumen methanogenesis with nutritional manipulation the suppressing effects of some strains of lactic acid bacteria and yeast, bacteriocin, $\beta$1-4 galactooligosaccharide, plant extracts (Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponarea), L-cysteine and/or nitrate on rumen methane emission were compared with antibiotics. For in vitro trials, cumulative methane production was evaluated using the continuous fermented gas qualification system inoculated with the strained rumen fluid from rumen fistulated Holstein cows. For in vivo, four sequential ventilated head cages equipped with a fully automated gas analyzing system were used to examine the manipulating effects of $\beta$1-4 galactooligosaccharide, lactic acid bacteria (Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides), yeast (Trichosporon serticeum), nisin and Yucca schidigera and/or nitrate on rumen methanogenesis. Furthermore, biogas energy recycled from animal effluent was evaluated with anaerobic bioreactors. Utilization of recycled energy as fuel for a co-generator and fuel cell was tested in the thermophilic biogas plant system. From the results of in vitro and in vivo trials, nitrate was shown to be a strong methane suppressor, although nitrate per se is hazardous. L-cysteine could remove this risk. $\beta$1-4 galactooligosaccharide, Candida kefyr, nisin, Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponarea are thought to possibly control methanogenesis in the rumen. It is possible to simulate the available energy recycled through animal effluent from feed energy resources by making total energy balance sheets of the process from feed energy to recycled energy.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.901-916
• /
• 2017

This study was conducted to evaluate natural plant extracts for methane gas reduction in ruminants. Rumen fluid was collected from cannulated Hanwoo cow ($450{\pm}30kg$) consuming 400 g/kg concentrate and 600 g/kg timothy. The 15 ml of mixture comparing McDougall's buffer and rumen fluid in the ratio 2 to 1, was dispensed anaerobically into 50 ml serum bottles. Rumen fluid contents were collected and in vitro fermentation prepared control (timothy, 300 mg), ginseng, balloon flower, yucca plant, camellia, tea plant and ogapi extracts were added at the level of 5% against 300 mg of timothy as a substrate (v/w) and incubated for 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. In vitro pH values range 6.55~7.41, this range include rumen titration. The dry matter digestibility was not differ between all treatments and control. Total gas emission was significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng and balloon flower treatments on 24 h than in control. Carbon dioxide emission was not differ all treatments on 9 h than in control and significantly higher (p<0.05) yucca plant, camellia and tea plant treatments on 12 h than control. Methane emission was not differ all treatments on 6 h than in control. The rumen microbial growth rate was significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng, balloon flower on 12 h and significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng, yucca plant, tea plant and ogapi treatments on 24 h than in control. Total VFA was significantly higher (p<0.05) in tea plant and ogapi treatments on 12 h than in control and significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng, balloon flower treatments on 48 h than in control. Acetic acid was significantly lower (p<0.05) in ginseng and balloon flower treatments on 24 h than in control. Propionic acid was significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng and balloon flower treatments on 48 h than in control. As a results, sixth natural plant extracts had no significant effect dry matter digestibility and negative on rumen fermentation, but not effect methane reduction.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.540-554
• /
• 2023

Heat stress is a major challenge to animal production in tropical and subtropical climates. Rabbits suffer from heat stress more than farm animals because they have few sweat glands, and their bodies are covered with thick fur. Intensive farming relies on antibiotics as antimicrobials or growth promoters to increase animals' productivity and health. However, the European Union and many countries have banned or restricted the use of antibiotics in animal feed for human health concerns. Several studies have found that replacing antibiotics in rabbit feed with natural plants or feed additives increases productivity and improves immune capacity, especially under heat stress conditions. Growth performance, immune response, gut microflora, and carcass yield may be increased in rabbits fed a diet supplemented with some natural plants and/or propolis. In this review article, we discuss and summarize the effects of some herbs and plant extracts as alternative feed additives on rabbit productivity, especially for those raised under hot ambient temperatures.