Articles
IN VITRO ANTIMETHANOGENIC RUMINALE ACTIVITY OF THE METHANOL, ACETONE AND ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF THYMELAEA HIRSUTE
Article number
997_35
Pages
285 – 293
Language
English
Abstract
The secondary metabolites present in plants provide protection against predators, pathogens and invaders because of their anti-microbial activity.
The majority of these compounds fall into the category of lignins, tannins, saponins, volatile essential oils, alkaloids, etc.
The antimicrobial activity of these compounds is highly specific and therefore may be used for the manipulation of rumen fermentation by selective inhibition of a microbial group of the ecosystem.
The aerial part of Thymelaea hirsute was treated by three solvents: methanol, ethanol and acetone. 200 mg of wheat straw was incubated with 30 ml of buffered rumen fluid (2:1, v/v) for 96 h.
The effect of plant extracts and pure solvents on fermentation parameters has been tested at different levels (0, 250 and 500 µl). Fermentation was conducted in vitro according to the gas production technique using sheep ruminal contents as inoculum and wheat straw as substrate.
For both levels, gas production recorded after 96 hours of incubation were significantly different between solvents (P0.05). The highest values were noted for ethanol and methanol solvents and the lowest for acetone (P<0.05). Addition of T. hirsute extracts did not affect gas production during the first 6 hours.
After this incubation time, these extracts increased significantly gas production, except acetone extract which reduces gas production as compared with control (P<0.05). The methane production was significantly reduced by acetone extract comparatively to control (P<0.05). Furthermore, inclusion of both pure solvents and T. hirsute extracts reduced IVDMD. The results of this experiment indicated that the T. hirsute extracts appear to have a potential to manipulate rumen fermentation favourably.
The acetone extract has anti-methanogenic activity.
Since this extract also suppressed IVDMD of feed, various levels of the extract should be tested to find out a suitable dose to get maximum inhibition in methane production without adversely affecting feed degradability.
The majority of these compounds fall into the category of lignins, tannins, saponins, volatile essential oils, alkaloids, etc.
The antimicrobial activity of these compounds is highly specific and therefore may be used for the manipulation of rumen fermentation by selective inhibition of a microbial group of the ecosystem.
The aerial part of Thymelaea hirsute was treated by three solvents: methanol, ethanol and acetone. 200 mg of wheat straw was incubated with 30 ml of buffered rumen fluid (2:1, v/v) for 96 h.
The effect of plant extracts and pure solvents on fermentation parameters has been tested at different levels (0, 250 and 500 µl). Fermentation was conducted in vitro according to the gas production technique using sheep ruminal contents as inoculum and wheat straw as substrate.
For both levels, gas production recorded after 96 hours of incubation were significantly different between solvents (P0.05). The highest values were noted for ethanol and methanol solvents and the lowest for acetone (P<0.05). Addition of T. hirsute extracts did not affect gas production during the first 6 hours.
After this incubation time, these extracts increased significantly gas production, except acetone extract which reduces gas production as compared with control (P<0.05). The methane production was significantly reduced by acetone extract comparatively to control (P<0.05). Furthermore, inclusion of both pure solvents and T. hirsute extracts reduced IVDMD. The results of this experiment indicated that the T. hirsute extracts appear to have a potential to manipulate rumen fermentation favourably.
The acetone extract has anti-methanogenic activity.
Since this extract also suppressed IVDMD of feed, various levels of the extract should be tested to find out a suitable dose to get maximum inhibition in methane production without adversely affecting feed degradability.
Authors
R. Arhab, M. Aggoun, D. Dris, B. Djabri, H. Bousseboua
Keywords
rumen, methane, acetone, ethanol, methanol, fermentation, digestibility
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