Aditivos nutracêuticos em rações comerciais: imunidade e função antioxidante de cães idosos

Abstract

Seeking to improve dog’s quality life during senility, the inclusion in the diet of nutraceutical additives that modify or stimulate the immune system of companion animals, gaining prominence, with the objective or preventing metabolic alterations and minimizing the conditions of aging. Twenty-four American foxhound dogs, aged between 10 and 10 years, genders, were divided into eight dogs in 3 groups of eight dogs. Each group received a type of dry and extruded feed, according, control - special premium feed without the addition of nutraceutical additives; treatment 1 - super premium feed with the inclusion of selenium proteinate: 0.7373 ppm, zinc chelate with glycine: 230 ppm and vitamin C: 200mg/kg; treatment 2 - super premium feed with the inclusion of selenium proteinate 0.7373 ppm, zinc chelate with glycine: 230 ppm, vitamin C: 200mg/kg, Capsicum spp + Curcuma spp: 0.02%, eugenol + saccharin: 0.02%, fish oil: 0.25%, mannanoligosaccharide + fructooligosaccharide: 0.40%. All dogs consumed the control diet for 30 days before the start of the experiment, after which they were distributed in the treatments as described above. After 50 days (day 50 of the experiment) consuming the diets, an antigenic challenge was performed with subcutaneous vaccination against Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis, Leish-Tech (Ceva Saúde Animal Ltda, Paulínea-SP). After the antigenic challenge, the animals remained on the experimental diets for 21 days, totaling 71 days of experimental period. Four blood samples were taken on days: 0 (a day before the beginning of the experimental feed), 50, 57 and 71 for the analysis of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), cortisol, interleukin 10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), haptoglobin, myeloperoxidase (MPO), interferon gamma and nitric oxide. Diet x time interaction (p>0.05) was not observed for any variable. However, there was a difference (p<0.05) between the diets and between the times evaluated for cortisol, with a significant contrast between the control group and between treatments 1 and 2. For the variables SOD, IL-10 and TNF- α there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the collection times. The MDA response showed differences (p<0.05) between the evaluated diets, with a significant contrast between the control and treatments and between treatments 1 and 2. In the MPO analysis, there was a difference (p<0.05) between the diets with significant contrast between treatments 1 and 2. The inclusion of additives in the diet of elderly dogs is effective in modulating the immune response and improving antioxidant defenses.