Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate toxicity, anti_stress activity and hepato_protective properties of Kombucha tea. Method Kombucha tea was fed orally for 15 days using three different doses i.e. normal dose, five and ten times the dose. Rats were then sacrificed and various biochemical, and histological parameters were estimated. Anti_stress activity was evaluated either by 1) by exposing animals to cold and hypoxia and estimating the levels of malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione in plasma/ blood or 2) by subjecting the animals to restraint stress and recording faecal output. Hepato_toxicity was induced by challenging the animals to an acute dose of paracetamol (1 gm/kg) orally and determining the plasma levels of SGPT, SGOT and MDA. Results The effect of oral administration of different doses of K_tea to albino rats was examined and the results indicate that K_tea has no significant toxicity as revealed by various biochemical and histopathological parameters. K_tea has been found to prevent lipid peroxidation and fall in reduced glutathione level when rats were exposed to cold and hypoxia in simulated chamber. Further, K_tea has also been found to decrease the Wrap_restraint faecal pellet output in rats. K_tea has also been found to decrease paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity significantly. Conclusion The study shows that K_tea has anti_stress and hepato_protective activities.

The expression profiles of inflammatory cytokines viz. interleukins (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-12, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor, interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in response to subclinical mastitis in indigenous cattle breed Kankrej (n = 6), Gir (Bos indicus) (n = 12) and crossbred (Bos taurus x Bos indicus) (n = 7) were investigated using quantitative real time PCR. Significant correlation (p < 0.05) was observed between total bacterial load and somatic cell count (SCC) in all three breeds of cattle. All the cytokines were observed to be up-regulated compared to cows with healthy quarters, however, level of their expression varied among three breeds of cattle. In Kankrej most cytokines were found to be transcribed to higher levels than in other two breeds; the milk had higher load of bacteria but not so high SCC, implying that Kankrej has a higher inherent resistance against mastitis. The results of present study indicated that mammary glands of crossbred cattle are more sensitive to bacterial infection than indigenous breed of cattle as they elicit immune response at lower bacterial load and result into higher SCC. Research on identification of factors responsible for differentially expressed cytokines profiles and use of cytokines as immunomodulatory tools can pave way for formulating control strategies against bovine mastitis.
Animals ; Bacteria ; Bacterial Infections ; Bacterial Load ; Cattle ; Cell Count ; Cytokines ; Female ; Granulocytes ; Interferon-gamma ; Interferons ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-8 ; Interleukins ; Mammary Glands, Human ; Mastitis ; Mastitis, Bovine ; Milk ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha