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Donkeys were probably the first animals people rode and the first used on a large-scale as beasts of burden. Yet they are one of the least studied of all domestic animals. This book seeks to remedy this by using archaeological evidence in combination with historical and anthropological sources to resituate donkeys in the unfolding of human history.

In this study, some biological activities including antioxidant activity (DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, and CUPRAC assay), DPP-IV enzyme inhibitory activity, and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory activity of peptides released from in vitro gastrointestinal digested casein and the whey proteins of camel and donkey milk were evaluated. While the highest antioxidant activity was determined to be in the digested camel casein fraction using the ABTS and CUPRAC methods, the digested donkey casein fraction was determined to have the highest radical scavenging activity using the DPPH method. The highest DPP-IV inhibitory activity was detected in digested camel and donkey milk casein fractions. Digested whey fractions of camel and donkey milk had a lower DPP-IV inhibitory activity compared to the digested casein fractions. However, digested whey fractions of camel and donkey milk did not show α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, and digested donkey casein fraction showed the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with a 12.5 µg/mL IC50 value. It was concluded that peptides released from digested casein fraction of camel and donkey milk have potent antioxidant and particularly antidiabetic properties.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1614777.].

This study assessed the bioactive peptides content of milk from different species, including humans, camel, bovine, buffalo, donkey, sheep, goat, and horse. The highest and lowest concentrations of total digestion-resistant peptides were estimated in sheep and human milk. Donkey milk casein contains a higher angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory, dipeptidyl peptidase III (DPP-III) inhibitory, DPP-IV inhibitory, and antioxidant peptides. On the other hand, camel whey protein contains the highest ACE-inhibitory peptides. To discover BPs with immunomodulatory and cholesterol-lowering functions, goat milk casein and sheep milk whey protein can be considered, respectively.

The increase of knowledge on the composition of donkey milk has revealed marked similarities to human milk, which led to a growing number of investigations focused on testing the potential effects of donkey milk in vitro and in vivo. This paper examines the scientific evidence regarding the beneficial effects of donkey milk on human health. Most clinical studies report a tolerability of donkey milk in 82.6–98.5% of infants with cow milk protein allergies. The average protein content of donkey milk is about 18 g/L. Caseins, which are main allergenic components of milk, are less represented compared to cow milk (56% of the total protein in donkey vs. 80% in cow milk). Donkey milk is well accepted by children due to its high concentration of lactose (about 60 g/L). Immunomodulatory properties have been reported in one study in humans and in several animal models. Donkey milk also seems to modulate the intestinal microbiota, enhance antioxidant defense mechanisms and detoxifying enzymes activities, reduce hyperglycemia and normalize dyslipidemia. Donkey milk has lower calorie and fat content compared with other milks used in human nutrition (fat ranges from 0.20% to 1.7%) and a more favourable fatty acid profile, being low in saturated fatty acids (3.02 g/L) and high in alpha-linolenic acid (about 7.25 g/100 g of fat). Until now, the beneficial properties of donkey milk have been mostly related to whey proteins, among which β-lactoglobulin is the most represented (6.06 g/L), followed by α-lactalbumin (about 2 g/L) and lysozyme (1.07 g/L). So far, the health functionality of donkey milk has been tested almost exclusively on animal models. Furthermore, in vitro studies have described inhibitory action against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. From the literature review emerges the need for new randomized clinical trials on humans to provide stronger evidence of the potential beneficial health effects of donkey milk, which could lead to new applications as an adjuvant in the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases, malnutrition, and aging.

Donkeys ( Equus asinus ) have played a vital role in agriculture, transportation, and companionship, particularly in developing regions where they are indispensable working animals. The domestication of donkeys marked a significant turning point in human history, as they became essential for transportation, agriculture, and trade, especially in arid and semi-arid areas where their resilience and endurance were highly valued. In modern society, donkeys are indispensable due to their diversified applications, including meat, dairy, medicine, and functional bioproducts, supporting economic, cultural, and medical industries. Despite their critical importance, research on donkeys has historically been overshadowed with studies on horses. However, recent advancements in high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics have significantly deepened our understanding of the molecular landscape of donkey genome, uncovering their unique adaptations, genetic diversity, and potential therapeutic applications. Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers have proven effective in assessing the genetic diversity of donkeys across various regions of the world. Additionally, significant strides have been made in characterizing differentially abundant genes, proteins, and metabolic profiles in donkey milk, meat, and skin, and in identifying specific genes/proteins/metabolites associated with sperm quality, motility, and reproduction. Advanced genomic technologies, such as genome-wide association studies and the identification of selection signatures, have also been instrumental in delineating genomic regions associated with phenotypic and adaptive traits. This review integrates data from diverse studies, including those on genetic diversity, transcriptomics, whole genome sequencing, protein analysis, and metabolic profiling, to provide a comprehensive overview of donkey biology. It underscores the unique characteristics of donkeys and emphasizes the importance of continued research to improve their genetic management, conservation, and agricultural use, ensuring their ongoing contribution to human societies.

In this study, pharmaceutical active ingredients (gemfibrozil, acetaminophen and ciprofloxacin) and artificial sweeteners (aspartame and sucralose) were combined and applied to wheat and barley plants. After 15 days of cultivation, a series of biochemical and physiological parameters were evaluated. These included electrolyte leakage, antioxidant enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), chlorophyll levels, total phenolic content (TPC), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), total flavonoid content (TFC) and concentrations. The relationship between the control samples and the samples treated with pharmaceutical active ingredients and artificial sweeteners was statistically evaluated at the 95% confidence interval, and significant differences were found. The treatments markedly influenced plant physiology and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Electrolyte leakage increased to 795.71 ± 50.14 µS cm -1 in wheat, while catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities showed significant elevations, reaching 5797.5 ± 115.14, 95176.00 ± 3675.42, and 1766.11 ± 13.97 EU g −1 , respectively. In contrast, chlorophyll a + b, carotenoids, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and FRAP values decreased substantially compared with controls. These findings demonstrate that mixtures of pharmaceuticals and artificial sweeteners can disrupt photosynthetic pigment stability, and impair antioxidant defense in wheat and barley, highlighting potential ecological and agricultural risks associated with emerging contaminant mixtures.

Due to its similarity with human milk, donkey milk is gaining interest as a nutritional milk source. The aim of current study was to compare the difference in the milk composition and metabolites of two Dezhou donkey strains (SanFen and WuTou). The results showed that fat, total solids, and solids-not fat of SanFen milk were higher than WuTou milk. Then we further identified the metabolites in the donkey milk by untargeted metabolomics using LC–MS, and showed that 49 significantly different metabolites between two milk samples were detected. 36 metabolites in the SanFen were significantly higher (p < 0.05), while 13 metabolites were significantly lower than the WuTou (p < 0.05). The results indicated that some different metabolites, such as l-glutamate, and l-glutamine, glucose, and choline, might be ascribed to the genetic differences of the two Dezhou donkey strains. The significantly different metabolites (SDM) were mainly enriched in arginine biosynthesis, d-glutamine and d-glutamate metabolism, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism. This is the first comparative study performed in SanFen and WuTou and indicates that stains differentially affect the milk composition and metabolites. Furthermore, the SDM and metabolic pathways at least partly explore the regulation mechanisms related to different milk quality and lactation traits between two donkey strains.

In the history of the world, the donkey has always had a special place next to humans since the time of its domestication, about 10,000 years ago [...].In the history of the world, the donkey has always had a special place next to humans since the time of its domestication, about 10,000 years ago [...].

The African Wild ass ( Equus africanus ) is considered an endangered species, particularly within its native range in the Horn of Africa and Nubian wild ass historically occupied northeastern Africa, including Sudan. This study presents the findings of a ground population survey carried out during the dry season (14th to 22nd of April 2025) across 23 sites representing various landscapes in the northern and middle areas of the Red Sea state, the coastal zone, coastal plains, and the Red Sea Hills. Our study recorded 652 individuals of which 415 are Nubian wild asses over an area of 184 km² with a population density of ~ 4 individuals per km². The overall male-to-female ratio was found to be 1:2.1 for the Nubian wild ass and 1:2.11 for the African wild ass. These results highlight key demographic trends and spatial distribution patterns critical for targeted conservation efforts.