Avinash Srivastava, Pramod Chaudhary, Sandeep Kumar Singh, Harish R Ingale and Chandrakant Jadhav
Abstract
The present study was carried out to examine the impact of the herbal hepato stimulant (GenoLiv) on Holstein Friesian crossbred cows. Fifteen postpartum cows were allocated into three distinct groups, i.e. control, T1, and T2 groups, based on milk production. The study included a control group of low-yielding cows fed a basal diet. In contrast, treatment groups T1 and T2 consisted of higher-yielding cows that received the same basal diet supplemented with the herbal hepato stimulant (GenoLiv) at dosages of 50 g/animal/day and 100 g/animal/day, respectively, over a period of three months. Serum samples were collected from each cow prior to the start of the trial and at monthly intervals to assess liver health. Serum biochemical parameters measured included serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), total bilirubin, and triglyceride levels. Daily milk yields and associated quality parameters, including fat percentage, milk fat yield, and solids-not-fat (SNF) content, were measured before the commencement of trial and at monthly intervals.
Results showed that GenoLiv supplementation in groups T1 and T2 significantly (p<0.001) reduced serum SGOT level, which was initially higher in these groups. However, there were no significant effects on the serum SGPT, bilirubin, triglycerides levels of cow supplementation with GenoLiv. The T1 group had the highest average milk yield (liters/day) (p<0.001), followed by T2, with the control group yielding the least.
The findings suggested that supplementation of GenoLiv to HF crossbred cows normalized previously impaired liver enzyme levels, and sustained milk production at the animals genetic potential.
Introduction
The liver performs diverse metabolic functions within the organism to uphold various physiological processes. Although liver comprises only 1.3 to 1.6% of body weight of ruminants, it demands a considerable amount of the energy available to the animal due to the various metabolic functions (Baldwin, 1995) [4]. A healthy liver in a dairy cow performs various essential roles, including glucose, lipid, and protein synthesis and metabolism, ketone production, supporting the immune system, activating specific vitamins, and storing minerals, glycogen, triglycerides, metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds. The well-being of transition cows depends on the liver capability to effectively regulate various functions in response to change in diet and its composition, hormonal fluctuations, and the evolving metabolic demands during the transition period to lactation. Transition cows face various metabolic disorders that directly affect liver functions. Liver disorder of highly productive dairy animals resulting from a negative energy balance at the onset of lactation. In many animal production systems, approximately 2/3rd of improvements in livestock productivity can be attributed to improved nutrition. Hepato-efficiency enhancers supplementation increases secretion and flow of bile for better digestion and maintaining the liver parenchyma in a healthy state and regulating liver functions like detoxification of metabolic end products, toxic drugs and chemicals and treatment of hepatic dysfunction (Singh and Peter, 2018) [19]. Hepatoprotection by conventional and synthetic drugs used in treatment of liver diseases are inadequate and sometimes can have serious side effects (Guntupalli, 2006) [11]. In the absence of reliable liver protecting drugs in modern medicine, there are number of medicinal preparations in Ayurveda recommended for the treatment of liver disorders. Polyherbal liver tonic for dairy animals documented hepatoprotective and hepato-stimulant properties (Singh and Peter, 2018) [19]. It counteracts hepatopathy and restores liver functions in dairy animals (Pradhan and Day, 1996) [15].
GenoLiv (a product from PhyGeno, a division of Avitech Nutrition Pvt. Ltd., Gurugram, Haryana, India) polyherbal blend comprising Andrographis paniculata, Phyllanthus amarus, Boerhavia diffusa, and Solanum nigrum.
The study aims to assess the effects of herbal hepato stimulant (GenoLiv) on serum liver enzymes, milk production, and milk composition in crossbred HF cows exhibiting elevated levels of serum liver enzymes (SGOT and SGPT).
2. Material and methods
2.1. Selection of animals and trial design
The trial was conducted at Chitale Dairy, located in Bhilwadi, Maharashtra, India, over a duration of three months. HF crossbred cows were divided into three homogeneous groups of five animals each, designated as Control, T1, and T2, based on their milk yields. The Control group consisted of low-yielding cows that were fed a basal diet. In contrast, groups T1 and T2 consisted of higher-yielding cows that received the basal diet supplemented with the herbal liver stimulant GenoLiv at doses of 50 g/animal/day and 100 g/animal/day, respectively, over a period of three months. Prior to the commencement of the trial, it was observed that the high-yielding cows exhibited elevated serum SGOT concentrations, likely attributable to the increased metabolic load on the liver. The cows were maintained under uniform management and environmental conditions, and their health was systematically monitored throughout the experimental period.
2.2. Feeding
All HF crossbred cows were fed a basal diet consisting of dry fodder, green fodder, and a concentrate mixture to meet their maintenance and production requirements.
2.3. Collection of milk sample for estimation of milk parameters: Milk yield was recorded twice a day (morning and evening) over a 90-day trial period. Milk samples were collected in plastic vials from individual cows for analysis of fat percentage, fat yield, and solids-not-fat (SNF) content before the commencement of the trial and at monthly intervals. Fat and SNF percentages were determined using a automatic milk analyzer.
2.4. Collection of blood sample for biochemical parameters: Blood samples were aseptically obtained from the jugular vein of the animals at intervals of 0, 30, 60, and 90 days using sterile needles, and then transferred into plain vials. The blood samples were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes to facilitate the separation of serum, which was subsequently preserved by freezing at a temperature of -20 °C. Serum samples were analyzed for certain biochemical parameters, like serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum total bilirubin and triglycerides by an automated biochemical analyzer.
2.5. Statistical Analysis
The data generated were statistically analyzed (Snedecor and Cochran, 1994) [20] using SPSS software version 20. The data was analyzed adopting two- way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The significant difference between the treatment means and periodic means at P<0.05 was detected by applying Duncan multiple range test.
3. Result
3.1. Biochemical parameters
SGOT and SGPT are key liver health biomarkers. Results (Table 01) showed significantly lower mean serum SGOT (U/L) levels in the GenoLiv supplemented groups (T1 and T2) compared to the control (p<0.001). SGOT levels peaked at day 0, gradually declining by the end of the first month, and displaying further reduction during the subsequent two months in the GenoLiv supplemented groups. Statistical analysis indicated a significant treatment-period interaction (p<0.001).
Results (Table 02) indicated that GenoLiv supplementation did not have a significant overall effect on serum SGPT concentration. However, starting from the first month, there was a significant decrease in serum SGPT concentration (p<0.01) across all experimental groups. There was no significant interaction between treatment and period (p>0.05).
Total bilirubin levels are indicative of liver and bile tract function, with elevated levels generally signaling liver damage or hemolysis. Table 03 showed no significant differences (p> 0.05) in serum total bilirubin (mg/dL) among the groups. Additionally, serum total bilirubin values were comparable across different time periods (p> 0.05). However, a significant treatment-period interaction was observed (p<0.05).
Table 04 indicated no significant differences (p> 0.05) in triglyceride levels (mg/dL) among the groups. However, triglyceride concentrations varied over time, with the highest values recorded in the final month of the trial.
3.2. Effects on Milk production and composition
Table 05 showed that the average daily milk yield (liters/day) was significantly higher (P<0.001) in the T1 group, followed by the T2 group, with the control group exhibiting the lowest yield. No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed between the T1 and T2 treatment groups across various time periods. Statistical analysis did not show any significant treatment-period interaction (P>0.05).
Due to the inverse relationship between milk fat percentage and milk yield, the control group exhibited a significantly higher milk fat percentage (p<0.001) (Figure 01b). Milk fat yield was significantly (p<0.05) improve in the GenoLiv supplemented groups after second and third months of the trial (Figure 01a). In contrast, the control group milk fat yield remained nearly constant throughout the trial.
A significant (P<0.01) rise in the mean Solid Not Fat (SNF) percentage was observed in both the control and T2 groups in comparison to the T1 group (Table 06). The SNF percentage exhibited a significant decrease (P<0.001) at the commencement of the trial but consistently maintained higher levels from the first month until the end of the trial.
3.3. Correlation between liver enzymes (SGOT and SGPT) and milk yield: Pearson correlation analysis (Table 07) unveiled a significant negative correlation (P<0.05) between SGPT levels and average milk yield in the T2 group, suggesting a moderate negative association. Furthermore, an observed significant positive correlation (P<0.05) was noted in control group between SGOT levels and milk yield.
4. Discussion
Elevated serum SGOT levels are indicative of hepatic parenchymal cell necrosis and serve as a biomarker for hepatotoxicity (Cornelius and Kaneko, 1963). Normal values for SGOT typically range from 5 to 50 U/L, (Singh et al., 2011) [18]. Studies show that supplementation with Andrographis paniculata and Boerhavia diffusa decreases SGOT and SGPT levels in cattle (Sharma et al., 2015) [16]. Extract from Phyllanthus amarus administered in Wistar rats, reduces SGOT and SGPT activities, exhibiting hepatoprotective properties (Igwe et al., 2007) [13]. Similarly, administration of Solanum nigrum fruit extract to rats leads to significant reductions in AST levels (Alam et al., 2022) [1]. The current findings illustrates that GenoLiv supplementation significantly reduced serum SGOT levels (p<0.001) compared to the control group. Conversely, no significant variations in treatment were observed for SGPT throughout the trial. SGOT estimation is a more specific indicator for detecting liver abnormalities as it predominantly resides in the liver, whereas SGPT concentrations are distributed across various organs including the heart, muscle, brain, kidney and liver (Amacher, 2002; Dufour et al., 2000) [2, 10].
Measurement of serum total bilirubin is frequently employed to assess both hepatic and bile tract function (Davoudi, 2013) [9]. Elevated bilirubin levels may indicate conditions like hemolysis, hepatocellular disease, cholestasis, or others physiological factors.
Alam et al. (2022) [1] observed that supplementation with a bioactive compound extracted from Solanum nigrum led to a significant reduction in bilirubin levels in rats. Likewise, the current study observed a numerical decrease in serum bilirubin levels in cattle supplemented with an herbal hepatostimulant.
The current study revealed a significant rise in average daily milk yield in groups supplemented with GenoLiv compared to the control. Correspondingly, Das et al. (2017) [8] and Hamzah (2016) [12] documented increased milk yields with herbal formulations in crossbred cows and goats respectively, attributing this effect to the active ingredients in herbs stimulating prolactin release.
Baig and Bhagwat (2009) [3] and Bipate and Misra (2020) [5] also observed increased milk production in cows with polyherbal mixture supplements, potentially due to the galactopoietic activity of certain herbs. Mirzaei et al. (2011) [14] found that the inclusion of a polyherbal combination in the diet augmented the net energy of milk, consequently resulting in an elevated milk yield.
The current findings indicate a significantly increase (p< 0.05) in milk fat percentage within the control group compared to the treatment groups, attributed to the negative correlation between milk yield and fat percentages. The results showed that treatment groups had a higher average fat yield compared to the control group. Baig and Bhagwat (2009) [3] noted that polyherbal medicine containing Solanum nigrum increases fat percentage in dairy cows. Contrary to this, reported that supplementing cow diets with herbs had no impact on milk fat yield. Similarly, Hamzah (2016) [12] found no significant effect on milk fat percentage in Jamnapari goats following supplementation with Andrographis paniculata. The negative correlations observed between SGPT levels and milk yield in the treatment groups suggest a potential influence of liver function on milk production. This is consistent with Sikka et al. (1992) [17], who also found a negative correlation between SGOT levels and milk production. This implies that alterations in liver enzyme levels may reflect underlying hepatic conditions that could affect the metabolic processes involved in milk synthesis. Consequently, disruptions in liver function might impede the efficiency of nutrient metabolism and synthesis pathways crucial for milk production, thus resulting in decreased milk yield.
- Conclusion
Milk production and its composition are influenced by a complex interplay of metabolic and physiological factors, including hormonal regulation, nutritional status, liver function, health status, environmental conditions, lactation stage, management practices, and genetic factors. The liver plays a critical role in nutrient metabolism and the production of essential proteins and enzymes. Hepatic health is reflected by the levels of enzymes such as SGOT and SGPT, and these enzyme levels influence overall metabolic capacity and, consequently, milk production.
The findings of this study underscore the effectiveness of GenoLiv supplementation in ameliorating impaired liver function in crossbred Holstein Friesian cows. Through a significant reduction in liver enzymes, the inclusion of GenoLiv in their diets demonstrates a noticeable improvement in liver health. These results highlight the potential of GenoLiv as a valuable intervention for enhancing liver function in cattle. Moreover, GenoLiv aids in enhancing both milk yield and average milk fat yield up to the cows’ genetic potential by restoring normal liver function. These results emphasize that GenoLiv serves as an effective hepatoprotective herbal supplement for cows with compromised liver function. Overall, the study highlights the dual benefits of GenoLiv, not only in promoting liver health but also in maximizing milk production in dairy cattle.
- Acknowledgement
We extend our sincere gratitude to Chitale Dairy in Bhilwadi, Maharashtra, India, for their invaluable assistance in conducting the trial on GenoLiv. Their unwavering support and expertise were instrumental to our research. We greatly appreciate their dedication and the high quality of their resources, which significantly enriched our study. - Conflict of Interest
Not available - Financial Support
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