This study was performed to determine the effects of the extracts of two alternative antimicrobial agents that do not harm the ecosystem (rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis and aloe vera, Aloe barbadensis) when added to the feed of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) on the growth performance, proximate composition, and biometric characteristics. Rosemary extract was added to the experimental diet in ratios of 0.1%, 0.25%, and 0.5% while aloe vera extract was added to the experimental diet in ratios of 0.5%, 1%, and 2.5%. After 90 days of the feeding trial, no change was seen in the weight increase, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, condition factor, hepatosomatic index, or viscerosomatic index of the tilapia. The fact that proximate analyses did not differ between groups showed that the plant extracts did not adversely affect the health status of tilapia in the ratios used in this study. As a result, the addition of 0.1%, 0.25%, and 0.5% rosemary extract and the addition of 0.5%, 1%, and 2.5% aloe vera extract to tilapia feeds did not cause changes in the growth performance, biometric indexes, or chemical composition findings of the fish meat.

Phytogenic feed additives have replaced the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in the diet of poultry particularly broiler chickens. Researchers are moving towards the use of natural products such as herbs, spices, plants and plant products, which possess influential effects on growth performance parameters, immune response and treatment of various diseases. Aloe vera is a well-known medicinal plant and is being used for commercial and therapeutic purposes such as antimicrobials, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulator, wound healing, antioxidant and antiprotozoal agents. From a few last decades, the use of Aloe vera has been increased as a natural additive to broiler diet. Based on the review of literature, Aloe vera can improve immune response, growth performance in the broiler, as well as an excellent alternative of AGPs and anticoccidial drugs. It can be used for broiler diet in the form of gel, powder, ethanolic extract and aqueous extract. This review provides information about the use of Aloe vera in broiler production with reference to the effects on growth performance, immune system, intestinal microflora and coccidiosis in broiler chickens.

In the study carried out, obtaining environmentally friendly biopolymers from sustainable sources and their usability as biomaterials were investigated. For this purpose, collagen from bovine achilles tendon, fibroin from silkworm cocoon, sodium alginate from brown sea algae and bioactive components from gel of aloe vera were isolated and purified. Product efficiency were calculated as 79.8% (w/w), 69,49% (w/w from cocoons), 35.1% (w/w) and 1% (w/v dry weight in gel) for collagen, fibroin, sodium alginate and aloe vera, respectively. Tissue scaffolds were prepared from these biomolecules by freeze drying method. However, aloe vera gel could not maintain the structural integrity in solid form and could not form a 3-dimensional scaffold. FTIR analyzes of fibroin, collagen and sodium alginate scaffolds showed that the products were obtained pure and the chemical structure was preserved during lyophilization. Surface analyzes with SEM, on the other hand, supported that the scaffolds are suitable for tissue engineering applications. As a result, it was determined that bioactive polymers were obtained from sustainable sources, generally at room conditions, with high yield, instead of petroleum-derived polymers, and they could be used as biomaterials. Obtaining biomolecules from sustainable sources in this way has significant potential in solving both the raw material problem and the environmental pollution caused by polymers.

Yürütülen çalışmada sürdürülebilir kaynaklardan çevre dostu biyopolimerlerin elde edilmesi ve biyomalzeme olarak kullanılabilirliği araştırılmıştır. Bu amaçla, sığır aşil tendonundan kollajen, ipek böceği kozasından fibroin, kahverengi deniz alglerinden sodyum alginat ve aloe vera jelinden biyoaktif bileşenler izole edilerek saflaştırılmıştır. Ürün verimi kollajen, fibroin, sodium alginat ve aloe vera için sırasıyla %79.8 (w/w), %69.49 (w/w kozadan), %35.1 (w/w) ve %1 (w/v jeldeki kuru miktar) oranında hesaplanmıştır. Bu biyomoleküllerden dondurarak kurutma yöntemi ile doku iskeleleri hazırlanmıştır. Ancak, aloe vera jeli katı formada yapı bütünlüğünü koruyamayarak 3-boyutlu iskele yapı oluşturamamıştır. Fibroin, kollajen ve sodyum alginat iskelelerin FTIR analizleri ürünlerin saf olarak elde edildiğini, liyoflizasyon sırasında kimyasal yapının korunduğunu göstermiştir. SEM ile yüzey analizleri ise iskelelerin doku mühendisliği uygulamaları için uygun olduğunu desteklemiştir. Sonuç olarak, petrol kaynaklı polimer yerine sürdürülebilir kaynaklardan, genel olarak oda şartlarında bioaktif polimerler yüksek verimle elde edilmiş ve biyomalzeme olarak kullanılabilecekleri belirlenmiştir. Biyomoleküllerin bu şekilde sürdürülebilir kaynaklardan elde edilmesi hem hammadde sorununun hem de polimer kaynaklı çevresel kirliliğin çözümünde önemli potansiyele sahiptir.