Desenvolvimento e avaliação de um biscoito nutracêutico à base de folhas de moringa oleifera para cães

Abstract

Currently, the relationship between the human and canine species has changed. Previously, the domestic animal was seen as a hunting companion and guard dog. Nowadays, it is a member of the family, creating a great emotional and affective bond between the person responsible and the pet. This fact has encouraged veterinary science professionals to invest in the Pet industry, focusing on making the lives of these animals healthier and longer-lasting. Therefore, one of the main ways to make dogs' lives healthier is by exploring food as an alternative to promoting health, thus creating nutraceuticals. Resistance to pathogens has been a challenge in veterinary medicine, and, as a result, there has been an increasing use of nutraceuticals to assist in clinical treatment. In this context, Moringa oleifera has stood out for being a medicinal plant abundant in nutrients and presenting some studies that demonstrate its antiinflammatory action, antidiabetic and antioxidant effects, potentially emerging as a new nutraceutical possibility in veterinary medicine. Therefore, the objective of this thesis was to develop and evaluate the effects of a nutraceutical biscuit based on Moringa oleifera leaves on anti-inflammatory responses in dogs. The biscuit was prepared and the nutrients evaluated according to the attached patent. For the experiment, 45 privately owned dogs (n=45) were used, regardless of breed and sex, aged over 1 year, with 25 dogs being used for the biscuit acceptance test and 20 for evaluating hematological and biochemical parameters. The blood of these animals for evaluation of blood counts and biochemical aspects was collected before the start of treatment with the nutraceutical biscuit and after 30 days of daily feeding with the biscuit (1 biscuit/day). In the present experiment, it can be observed that the levels of TGO and TGP were lower (p<0.05) after 30 days of treatment with the cookies (TGO: 28.7; TGP: 30.3) when compared to these levels before treatment (TGO: 45.8; TGP: 52.7). In view of the above, it is concluded that biscuits based on Moringa oleifera showed excellent palatability for dogs, with an adequate level of protein, 30.51%, and can be used in dog food, making pet food products with greater nutritional quality and nutraceutical function to increase immunity. Furthermore, the use of Moringa oleifera biscuits had an effect on the biochemical parameters TGO and TGP, before and after supplying the biscuits, suggesting a nutraceutical effect.