COMPOUNDS AND ACTIONS OF NUTRACEUTICALS ANTIOXIDANTS

Free radicals are produced as part of the body’s normal functioning through various metabolic reactions and in response to chemical or biological stressors

Antioxidant supplementation can be performed with:

Vitamins E and C;

Reactive oxygen species in free radicals are highly unstable due to the unique shape of their electrons, which need to donate or capture new ones in order to reach an equilibrium. This process leads to protein, DNA and cell damage.

These harmful effects must be neutralized in order to prevent destruction or loss of cellular function and tissues. However, due to the high frequency with which these occur, existing oxidizing systems may not be enough to avoid the onset of oxidative stress. Resulting in premature aging (Eirmann, 2017).

Carotenoids such as lycopene, astaxanthin and beta-carotene (Beynen, 2019);

Microminerals: selenium, zinc and manganese, which participate in the formation of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutahtione peroxidase; Flavonoids which are phenolic compounds such as quercetin, caffeic acid, lalic adic, elagic acid and curcumin, wich sequester free radicals and prevent liquid peroxidation.

The use of antioxidant nutraceuticals can help combat free radicals, and reduce their deleterious effects on the body of dogs and cats.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids And Omega 3

These are found in cold water marine fish and are considered to be essential nutrients (NRC, 2006). Through alphalinolenic fatty acids and the actions of the enzymes desaturase and elongase, they synthesize eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA).

However, this action is limited in dogs while in cats it simply does not occur. Therefore, these molecules must be supplemented in order to maintain physiological activities like: cell signaling, fluidity and cell membrane integrity (Calder, 2008).

Probiotics And Prebiotics

They are used in order to assist in the modulation of the intestinal microbiota, improving the profile of desirable microorganisms and controlling those with pathogenic potential.

Probiotics are living microorganisms that contribute to the reestablishment and maintenance of microbiota eubiosis when used as supplements. Prebiotics are mostly non-digestible oligosaccharides. Yet, these are fermentable by desirable microorganisms, which contributes to improving and balancing their populations, while reducing pathogenic bacteria. The presence of short-chain fatty acids is necessary for the maintenance of intestinal cells and serves as a substrate for the growth of healthy microbiota.

The omega 3 family have several important actions, amongst which some examples are:

Modulation of inflammatory processes through the synthesis of anti-inflammatory cytokines (Calder, 2012);

Cardioprotective, neurological and allergic processes;

Cancer prevention;

Improvement of renal function; β-glucans stand out regarding their applicability for immune modulation through the stimulation of cellular and humoral immunity. These compounds contribute to reducing inflammatory responses, and possess antibacterial, antitumor and antiviral activities (Vannucci & Vetvicka, 2019).

Skin and coat health preservation.

The main prebiotics which are used as supplements in small animal diets are: fructooligosaccharides, mannan-oligosaccharides, β-glucans and inulin.

The dog and cat microbiota is specific to each individual. It is known that phylums in dogs have higher percentages of Firmicutes, followed by Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria, respectively. However, factors such as lifestyle, diet, genetics and physiological state can affect the composition of microbial populations.

The importance of a balanced microbiota, is associated with good health, as it contributes to preserving intestinal integrity. The latter is key when strengthening the immune system. (Zapatera et. al., 2015).

Final Considerations

The use of nutraceuticals in dogs and cats has become a growing trend. Studies have revealed health benefits when these compounds are associated with wellformulated diets, as well as proving that they can be used as supplements for disease treatment and prevention.

However, there is still little speciesspecific information available. Further clarification regarding dosage and efficacy levels is also necessary.

Nutraceuticals in small animal diets

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