BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

[0001] The invention relates to compositions and methods for improving the health, such as improved health of the digestive tract, and reducing the morbidity of animals, such as those raised for food, including, but not limited to, animals raised in confined animal feed operations.

2. The Relevant Technology

[0002] The U.S. has developed a very efficient and sophisticated system for producing meat, milk, poultry, and egg products involving concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in order to insure the sustainability of America's food supply. Confinement of large numbers of animals can, however, lead to difficulties in maintaining the animals healthy. The use of antibiotics and growth hormones to reduce illness and increase meat and animal product production is widespread. There is growing pressure on the industry to eliminate the use of antibiotics and growth hormones. This effort has been met with little success, primarily due to the increased morbidity and weight loss that occurs in CAFOs when antibiotics such as tetracycline are eliminated.

SUMMARY

[0003] Disclosed herein are animal feed compositions and methods for improving animal health that include and/or use a cationic cholesterol additive which enhances the health and survival of animals used for food production. Unlike conventional antibiotics given to animals, the cationic cholesterol additives disclosed herein have been found to promote the production of beneficial microflora, which improves the health of an animal's digestive tract, resulting in reduced morbidity and increased weight gain. Healthier animals treated using the compositions and methods disclosed herein are able to maximize their natural ability to grow and produce healthy food products. The cholesterol additive has little or no bioavailability, which means the additive passes through the digestive (e.g. , gastrointestinal) tract of the animal without significantly affecting the animal. The lack of bioavailability is advantageous because it prevents the additive from being incorporated into the animal, where it could possibly be ingested by a person eating the animal or animal product and allows products from the animals to be substantially free of the cationic cholesterol additive.

[0004] Improved health of agricultural animals is achieved by periodically administering a cationic cholesterol additive to an animal during its growth. The cholesterol additives include a sterol backbone and a plurality of cationic groups attached thereto. The additive is delivered orally to the animal in the animal's feed. The feed can be a solid or liquid composition and can include any alimentary substance used to sustain an animal, including but not limited to solid ingestibles, liquid ingestibles, and drinking water of the animal. Examples of suitable feed components into which the cationic cholesterol additive may be mixed include, but are not limited to, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, fiber, or water.

[0005] The mechanism of action for the increased health and reduced morbidity is presently being studied. While the present invention is not limited to any particular mechanism, it is believed that the reduced morbidity and improved health in animals consuming the feed and treated according to the methods described herein is the result of increases in the microbial competitiveness of beneficial micro-flora ordinarily found in healthy animals, such as Lactobacillus bacteria. Unlike traditional antibioitics, the cationic cholesterol additives used in the feed and methods described herein do not inhibit the growth of lactobacillus, which can more easily out-compete harmful bacteria that lead to infection and morbidity in animals raised in CAFOs. This results in healthier animals with healthier micro-flora of the digestive tract.

[0006] It is believed that increased health may be akin to the use of probiotics, which can positively affect the relatiove balances of beneficial and harmful flora. However, because the cationic additives of the present invention are not living, they can be included more easily in the feed in smaller concentrations as compared to other types of probiotics while achieving higher effective rates

[0007] Additional features and advantages will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the embodiments disclosed herein. The objects and advantages of the embodiments disclosed herein will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing brief summary and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the embodiments disclosed herein or as claimed. BREIF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a graph showing the effect of CSA-44 on beneficial bacterial flora in the digestive tract of mice.

[0009] Figure 2 is a graph showing the effect of CSA-44 on beneficial bacterial flora in the digestive tract of mice.

[0010] Figure 3 is a graph showing the effect of CSA-44 on weight gain of mice infected with harmful bacteria.

[0011] Figure 4 is a graph showing the effect of CSA-44 on the morbitity of mice infected with harmful bacteria.

[0012] Figure 5 is a graph showing the effect of CSA-44 on the mortality of mice infected with harmful bacteria.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

I. DEFINITIONS

[0013] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which these embodiments belong. The terminology used in the description herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the embodiments. As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0014] Terms and phrases used in this application, and variations thereof, especially in the appended claims, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing, the term "including" should be read to mean "including, without limitation," "including but not limited to," or the like; the term "comprising" as used herein is synonymous with "including," "containing," or "characterized by," and is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps; the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least"; the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but is not limited to"; the term "example" is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; and use of terms like "preferably," "preferred," "desired," or "desirable," and words of similar meaning should not be understood as implying that certain features are critical, essential, or even important to the structure or function of the invention, but instead as merely intended to highlight alternative or additional features that may or may not be utilized in a particular embodiment. In addition, the term "comprising" is to be interpreted synonymously with the phrases "having at least" or "including at least". When used in the context of a process, the term "comprising" means that the process includes at least the recited steps, but may include additional steps. When used in the context of a compound, composition or device, the term "comprising" means that the compound, composition or device includes at least the recited features or components, but may also include additional features or components. Likewise, a group of items linked with the conjunction "and" should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as "and/or" unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction "or" should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should be read as "and/or" unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0015] It is understood that, in any compound described herein having one or more chiral centers, if an absolute stereochemistry is not expressly indicated, then each center may independently be of R-configuration or S-configuration or a mixture thereof. Thus, the compounds provided herein may be enantiomerically pure, enantiomerically enriched, racemic mixture, diastereomerically pure, diastereomerically enriched, or a stereoisomeric mixture. In addition it is understood that, in any compound described herein having one or more double bond(s) generating geometrical isomers that can be defined as E or Z, each double bond may independently be E or Z a mixture thereof.

[0016] Likewise, it is understood that, in any compound described, all tautomeric forms are also intended to be included.

[0017] It is to be understood that where compounds disclosed herein have unfilled valencies, then the valencies are to be filled with hydrogens or isotopes thereof, e.g., hydrogen- 1 (protium) and hydrogen-2 (deuterium).

[0018] It is understood that the compounds described herein can be labeled isotopically. Substitution with isotopes such as deuterium may afford certain therapeutic advantages resulting from greater metabolic stability, such as, for example, increased in vivo half-life or reduced dosage requirements. Each chemical element as represented in a compound structure may include any isotope of said element. For example, in a compound structure a hydrogen atom may be explicitly disclosed or understood to be present in the compound. At any position of the compound that a hydrogen atom may be present, the hydrogen atom can be any isotope of hydrogen, including but not limited to hydrogen- 1 (protium) and hydrogen-2 (deuterium). Thus, reference herein to a compound encompasses all potential isotopic forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0019] It is understood that the methods and combinations described herein include crystalline forms (also known as polymorphs, which include the different crystal packing arrangements of the same elemental composition of a compound), amorphous phases, salts, solvates, and hydrates. In some embodiments, the compounds described herein exist in solvated forms with pharmaceutically acceptable solvents such as water, ethanol, or the like. In other embodiments, the compounds described herein exist in unsolvated form. Solvates contain either stoichiometric or non- stoichiometric amounts of a solvent, and may be formed during the process of crystallization with pharmaceutically acceptable solvents such as water, ethanol, or the like. Hydrates are formed when the solvent is water, or alcoholates are formed when the solvent is alcohol. In addition, the compounds provided herein can exist in unsolvated as well as solvated forms. In general, the solvated forms are considered equivalent to the unsolvated forms for the purposes of the compounds and methods provided herein.

[0020] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, reaction conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about." Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present embodiments. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should be construed in light of the number of significant digits and ordinary rounding approaches.

[0021] Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the embodiments are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Every numerical range given throughout this specification and claims will include every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein. Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that the upper and lower limit, and each intervening value between the upper and lower limit of the range is encompassed within the embodiments. [0022] As used herein, any "R" group(s) such as, without limitation, Ri, R ₂ , R3, R ₄ , R5, R ₆ , R7, Re, R9, Rio, Rib Ri2 _> Ri3, Ri ₄ , Ri5, Ri6, Ri7 _> and Ri ₈ represent substituents that can be attached to the indicated atom. Unless otherwise specified, an R group may be substituted or unsubstituted.

[0023] The term "ring" as used herein can be heterocyclic or carbocyclic. The term "saturated" used herein refers to a fused ring having each atom in the fused ring either hydrogenated or substituted such that the valency of each atom is filled. The term "unsaturated" used herein refers to a fused ring where the valency of each atom of the fused ring may not be filled with hydrogen or other substituents. For example, adjacent carbon atoms in the fused ring can be doubly bound to each other. Unsaturation can also include deleting at least one of the following pairs and completing the valence of the ring carbon atoms at these deleted positions with a double bond; such as R5 and R9; Rs and Rio; and R _J3 and R _M .

[0024] Whenever a group is described as being "substituted" that group may be substituted with one, two, three or more of the indicated substituents, which may be the same or different, each replacing a hydrogen atom. If no substituents are indicated, it is meant that the indicated "substituted" group may be substituted with one or more group(s) individually and independently selected from alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkynyl, acylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, amino acid, aryl, heteroaryl, heteroalicyclyl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, (heteroalicyclyl)alkyl, hydroxy, protected hydroxyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, acyl, mercapto, alkylthio, arylthio, cyano, halogen (e.g., F, CI, Br, and I), thiocarbonyl, O-carbamyl, N-carbamyl, O-thiocarbamyl, N-thiocarbamyl, C-amido, N-amido, S-sulfonamido, N-sulfonamido, C-carboxy, protected C-carboxy, O-carboxy, isocyanato, thiocyanato, isothiocyanato, nitro, oxo, silyl, sulfenyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, trihalomethanesulfonyl, trihalomethanesulfonamido, an amino, a mono-substituted amino group and a di-substituted amino group, R ^a O(CH ₂ ) _m O-, R ^b (CH ₂ ) _n O-, R ^c C(0)0(CH ₂ ) _p O-, and protected derivatives thereof. The substituent may be attached to the group at more than one attachment point. For example, an aryl group may be substituted with a heteroaryl group at two attachment points to form a fused multicyclic aromatic ring system. Biphenyl and naphthalene are two examples of an aryl group that is substituted with a second aryl group.

[0025] As used herein, "C _a " or "C _a to C _b " in which "a" and "b" are integers refer to the number of carbon atoms in an alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group, or the number of carbon atoms in the ring of a cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl or heteroalicyclyl group. That is, the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, ring of the cycloalkyl, ring of the cycloalkenyl, ring of the cycloalkynyl, ring of the aryl, ring of the heteroaryl or ring of the heteroalicyclyl can contain from "a" to "b", inclusive, carbon atoms. Thus, for example, a "Ci to C ₄ alkyl" group refers to all alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbons, that is, CH ₃ -, CH3CH2-, CH3CH2CH2-, (CH ₃ ) ₂ CH-, CH3CH2CH2CH2-, CH ₃ CH ₂ CH(CH ₃ )- and (CH ₃ ) ₃ C-. If no "a" and "b" are designated with regard to an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl cycloalkenyl, cycloalkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl or heteroalicyclyl group, the broadest range described in these definitions is to be assumed.

[0026] As used herein, "alkyl" refers to a straight or branched hydrocarbon chain that comprises a fully saturated (no double or triple bonds) hydrocarbon group. The alkyl group may have 1 to 25 carbon atoms (whenever it appears herein, a numerical range such as "1 to 25" refers to each integer in the given range; e.g. , "1 to 25 carbon atoms" means that the alkyl group may consist of 1 carbon atom, 2 carbon atoms, 3 carbon atoms, etc., up to and including 25 carbon atoms, although the present definition also covers the occurrence of the term "alkyl" where no numerical range is designated). The alkyl group may also be a medium size alkyl having 1 to 15 carbon atoms. The alkyl group could also be a lower alkyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. The alkyl group of the compounds may be designated as "C ₄ " or "Ci-C ₄ alkyl" or similar designations. By way of example only, "Ci-C ₄ alkyl" indicates that there are one to four carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, i.e., the alkyl chain is selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, and t-butyl. Typical alkyl groups include, but are in no way limited to, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, tertiary butyl, pentyl and hexyl. The alkyl group may be substituted or unsubstituted.

[0027] As used herein, "alkenyl" refers to an alkyl group that contains in the straight or branched hydrocarbon chain one or more double bonds. The alkenyl group may have 2 to 25 carbon atoms (whenever it appears herein, a numerical range such as "2 to 25" refers to each integer in the given range; e.g. , "2 to 25 carbon atoms" means that the alkenyl group may consist of 2 carbon atom, 3 carbon atoms, 4 carbon atoms, etc. , up to and including 25 carbon atoms, although the present definition also covers the occurrence of the term "alkenyl" where no numerical range is designated). The alkenyl group may also be a medium size alkenyl having 2 to 15 carbon atoms. The alkenyl group could also be a lower alkenyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. The alkenyl group of the compounds may be designated as "C ₄ " or "C ₂ -C ₄ alkyl" or similar designations. An alkenyl group may be unsubstituted or substituted.

[0028] As used herein, "alkynyl" refers to an alkyl group that contains in the straight or branched hydrocarbon chain one or more triple bonds. The alkynyl group may have 2 to 25 carbon atoms (whenever it appears herein, a numerical range such as "2 to 25" refers to each integer in the given range; e.g. , "2 to 25 carbon atoms" means that the alkynyl group may consist of 2 carbon atom, 3 carbon atoms, 4 carbon atoms, etc., up to and including 25 carbon atoms, although the present definition also covers the occurrence of the term "alkynyl" where no numerical range is designated). The alkynyl group may also be a medium size alkynyl having 2 to 15 carbon atoms. The alkynyl group could also be a lower alkynyl having 2 to 6 carbon atoms. The alkynyl group of the compounds may be designated as "C ₄ " or "C ₂ -C ₄ alkyl" or similar designations. An alkynyl group may be unsubstituted or substituted.

[0029] As used herein, "aryl" refers to a carbocyclic (all carbon) monocyclic or multicyclic aromatic ring system (including fused ring systems where two carbocyclic rings share a chemical bond) that has a fully delocalized pi-electron system throughout all the rings. The number of carbon atoms in an aryl group can vary. For example, the aryl group can be a C ₆ -Ci ₄ aryl group, a C6-C1 ₀ aryl group, or a C ₆ aryl group (although the definition of C6-C1 ₀ aryl covers the occurrence of "aryl" when no numerical range is designated). Examples of aryl groups include, but are not limited to, benzene, naphthalene and azulene. An aryl group may be substituted or unsubstituted.

[0030] As used herein, "aralkyl" and "aryl(alkyl)" refer to an aryl group connected, as a substituent, via a lower alkylene group. The aralkyl group may have 6 to 20 carbon atoms (whenever it appears herein, a numerical range such as "6 to 20" refers to each integer in the given range; e.g. , "6 to 20 carbon atoms" means that the aralkyl group may consist of 6 carbon atom, 7 carbon atoms, 8 carbon atoms, etc. , up to and including 20 carbon atoms, although the present definition also covers the occurrence of the term "aralkyl" where no numerical range is designated). The lower alkylene and aryl group of an aralkyl may be substituted or unsubstituted. Examples include but are not limited to benzyl, 2- phenylalkyl, 3-phenylalkyl, and naphthylalkyl.

[0031] "Lower alkylene groups" refer to a Ci-C ₂ s straight-chained alkyl tethering groups, such as -CH ₂ - tethering groups, forming bonds to connect molecular fragments via their terminal carbon atoms. Examples include but are not limited to methylene (-CH ₂ -), ethylene (-CH ₂ CH ₂ -), propylene (-CH ₂ CH ₂ CH ₂ -), and butylene (-CH ₂ CH ₂ CH ₂ CH ₂ -). A lower alkylene group can be substituted by replacing one or more hydrogen of the lower alkylene group with a substituent(s) listed under the definition of "substituted."

[0032] As used herein, "cycloalkyl" refers to a completely saturated (no double or triple bonds) mono- or multi- cyclic hydrocarbon ring system. When composed of two or more rings, the rings may be joined together in a fused fashion. Cycloalkyl groups can contain 3 to 10 atoms in the ring(s) or 3 to 8 atoms in the ring(s). A cycloalkyl group may be unsubstituted or substituted. Typical cycloalkyl groups include, but are in no way limited to, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl and cyclooctyl.

[0033] As used herein, "cycloalkenyl" refers to a mono- or multi- cyclic hydrocarbon ring system that contains one or more double bonds in at least one ring; although, if there is more than one, the double bonds cannot form a fully delocalized pi-electron system throughout all the rings (otherwise the group would be "aryl," as defined herein). When composed of two or more rings, the rings may be connected together in a fused fashion. A cycloalkenyl group may be unsubstituted or substituted.

[0034] As used herein, "cycloalkynyl" refers to a mono- or multi- cyclic hydrocarbon ring system that contains one or more triple bonds in at least one ring. If there is more than one triple bond, the triple bonds cannot form a fully delocalized pi-electron system throughout all the rings. When composed of two or more rings, the rings may be joined together in a fused fashion. A cycloalkynyl group may be unsubstituted or substituted.

[0035] As used herein, "alkoxy" or "alkyloxy" refers to the formula -OR wherein R is an alkyl, an alkenyl, an alkynyl, a cycloalkyl, a cycloalkenyl or a cycloalkynyl as defined above. A non- limiting list of alkoxys includes methoxy, ethoxy, n-propoxy, 1- methylethoxy (isopropoxy), n-butoxy, iso-butoxy, sec-butoxy and tert-butoxy. An alkoxy may be substituted or unsubstituted.

[0036] As used herein, "acyl" refers to a hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or heteroaryl connected, as substituents, via a carbonyl group. Examples include formyl, acetyl, propanoyl, benzoyl, and acryl. An acyl may be substituted or unsubstituted.

[0037] As used herein, "alkoxyalkyl" or "alkyloxyalkyl" refers to an alkoxy group connected, as a substituent, via a lower alkylene group. Examples include alkyl-O-alkyl- and alkoxy-alkyl- with the terms alkyl and alkoxy defined herein.

[0038] As used herein, "hydroxyalkyl" refers to an alkyl group in which one or more of the hydrogen atoms are replaced by a hydroxy group. Exemplary hydroxyalkyl groups include but are not limited to, 2-hydroxyethyl, 3-hydroxypropyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, and 2,2-dihydroxyethyl. A hydroxyalkyl may be substituted or unsubstituted. [0039] As used herein, "haloalkyl" refers to an alkyl group in which one or more of the hydrogen atoms are replaced by a halogen (e.g., mono-haloalkyl, di -haloalkyl and tri- haloalkyl). Such groups include but are not limited to, chloromethyl, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl and l-chloro-2-fluoromethyl, 2-fluoroisobutyl. A haloalkyl may be substituted or unsubstituted.

[0040] The term "amino" as used herein refers to a -NH ₂ group.

[0041] As used herein, the term "hydroxy" refers to a -OH group.

[0042] A "cyano" group refers to a -CN group.

[0043] A "carbonyl" or an "oxo" group refers to a C=0 group.

[0044] The term "azido" as used herein refers to a -N ₃ group.

[0045] As used herein, "aminoalkyl" refers to an amino group connected, as a substituent, via a lower alkylene group. Examples include H ₂ N-alkyl- with the term alkyl defined herein.

[0046] As used herein, "alkylcarboxyalkyl" refers to an alkyl group connected, as a substituent, to a carboxy group that is connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group. Examples include alkyl-C(=0)0-alkyl- and alkyl-0-C(=0)-alkyl- with the term alkyl as defined herein.

[0047] As used herein, "C-carboxyalkyl" refers to a carboxy group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group. Examples include HO-(C=0)-alkyl, with the term alkyl as defined herein.

[0048] As used herein, "alkylaminoalkyl" refers to an alkyl group connected, as a substituent, to an amino group that is connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group. Examples include alkyl-NH-alkyl-, with the term alkyl as defined herein.

[0049] As used herein, "dialkylaminoalkyl" or "di(alkyl)aminoalkyl" refers to two alkyl groups connected, each as a substituent, to an amino group that is connected, as a

substituent, to an alkyl group. Examples include with the term alkyl as defined herein.

[0050] As used herein, "alkylaminoalkylamino" refers to an alkyl group connected, as a substituent, to an amino group that is connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group that is connected, as a substituent, to an amino group. Examples include alkyl-NH-alkyl-NH-, with the term alkyl as defined herein. [0051] As used herein, "alkylaminoalkylaminoalkylamino" refers to an alkyl group connected, as a substituent, to an amino group that is connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group that is connected, as a substituent, to an amino group that is connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group. Examples include alkyl-NH-alkyl-NH-alkyl-, with the term alkyl as defined herein.

[0052] As used herein, "arylaminoalkyl" refers to an aryl group connected, as a substituent, to an amino group that is connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group. Examples include aryl-NH-alkyl-, with the terms aryl and alkyl as defined herein.

[0053] As used herein, "aminoalkyloxy" refers to an amino group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyloxy group. Examples include H ₂ N-alkyl-0- and H ₂ N-alkoxy- with the terms alkyl and alkoxy as defined herein.

[0054] As used herein, "aminoalkyloxyalkyl" refers to an amino group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyloxy group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group. Examples include H ₂ N-alkyl-0-alkyl- and H ₂ N- alkoxy- alkyl- with the terms alkyl and alkoxy as defined herein.

[0055] As used herein, "aminoalkylcarboxy" refers to an amino group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group connected, as a substituent, to a carboxy group. Examples include H ₂ N-alkyl-C(=0)0- and H ₂ N-alkyl-0-C(=0)- with the term alkyl as defined herein.

[0056] As used herein, "aminoalkylaminocarbonyl" refers to an amino group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group connected, as a substituent, to an amino group connected, as a substituent, to a carbonyl group. Examples include H ₂ N-alkyl-NH- C(=0)- with the term alkyl as defined herein.

[0057] As used herein, "aminoalkylcarboxamido" refers to an amino group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group connected, as a substituent, to a carbonyl group connected, as a substituent to an amino group. Examples include H ₂ N-alkyl-C(=0)-NH- with the term alkyl as defined herein.

[0058] As used herein, "azidoalkyloxy" refers to an azido group connected as a substituent, to an alkyloxy group. Examples include N3-alkyl-0- and N3-alkoxy- with the terms alkyl and alkoxy as defined herein.

[0059] As used herein, "cyanoalkyloxy" refers to a cyano group connected as a substituent, to an alkyloxy group. Examples include NC-alkyl-O- and NC-alkoxy- with the terms alkyl and alkoxy as defined herein. [0060] As used herein, "guanidinoalkyloxy" refers to a guanidinyl group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyloxy group. Examples include

H H

H ₂ ISL .ISL s H ₂ ISL .ISL

T \lkyl-0- - \lkoxy- -

NH _an d NH with the terms "alkyl" and

"alkoxy" as defined herein.

[0061] As used herein, "guanidinoalkylcarboxy" refers to a guanidinyl group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group connected, as a substituent, to a carboxy group.

Examples include with the term "alkyl" as defined herein.

[0062] As used herein, "quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy" refers to a quaternized amino group connected, as a substituent, to an alkyl group connected, as a substituent, to a carboxy group. Examples include with the term "alkyl" as defined herein.

[0063] The term "halogen atom" or "halogen" as used herein, means any one of the radio-stable atoms of column 7 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, such as, fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine.

[0064] Where the numbers of substituents is not specified (e.g. haloalkyl), there may be one or more substituents present. For example "haloalkyl" may include one or more of the same or different halogens.

[0065] As used herein, the term "amino acid" refers to any amino acid (both standard and non-standard amino acids), including, but not limited to, ot-amino acids, β-amino acids, γ- amino acids and δ-amino acids. Examples of suitable amino acids include, but are not limited to, alanine, asparagine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, tyrosine, arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. Additional examples of suitable amino acids include, but are not limited to, ornithine, hypusine, 2-aminoisobutyric acid, dehydroalanine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, citrulline, beta-alanine, alpha-ethyl-glycine, alpha-propyl- glycine and norleucine.

[0066] A linking group is a divalent moiety used to link one steroid to another steroid. In some embodiments, the linking group is used to link a first compound with a second compound (which may be the same or different). An example of a linking group is (Ci- Cio) alkyloxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl.

[0067] The terms "P.G." or "protecting group" or "protecting groups" as used herein refer to any atom or group of atoms that is added to a molecule in order to prevent existing groups in the molecule from undergoing unwanted chemical reactions. Examples of protecting group moieties are described in T. W. Greene and P. G. M. Wuts, Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 3. Ed. John Wiley & Sons, 1999, and in J.F.W. McOmie, Protective Groups in Organic Chemistry Plenum Press, 1973, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference for the limited purpose of disclosing suitable protecting groups. The protecting group moiety may be chosen in such a way, that they are stable to certain reaction conditions and readily removed at a convenient stage using methodology known from the art. A non-limiting list of protecting groups include benzyl; substituted benzyl; alkylcarbonyls and alkoxycarbonyls (e.g., t-butoxycarbonyl (BOC), acetyl, or isobutyryl); arylalkylcarbonyls and arylalkoxycarbonyls (e.g., benzyloxycarbonyl); substituted methyl ether (e.g. methoxymethyl ether); substituted ethyl ether; a substituted benzyl ether; tetrahydropyranyl ether; silyls (e.g., trimethylsilyl, triethylsilyl, triisopropylsilyl, t- butyldimethylsilyl, tri-wo-propylsilyloxymethyl, [2-(trimethylsilyl)ethoxy]methyl or t- butyldiphenylsilyl); esters (e.g. benzoate ester); carbonates (e.g. methoxymethylcarbonate); sulfonates (e.g. tosylate or mesylate); acyclic ketal (e.g. dimethyl acetal); cyclic ketals (e.g., 1,3-dioxane, 1,3-dioxolanes, and those described herein); acyclic acetal; cyclic acetal (e.g., those described herein); acyclic hemiacetal; cyclic hemiacetal; cyclic dithioketals (e.g., 1,3-dithiane or 1,3-dithiolane); orthoesters (e.g., those described herein) and triarylmethyl groups (e.g., trityl; monomethoxytrityl (MMTr); 4,4'-dimethoxytrityl (DMTr); 4,4',4"-trimethoxytrityl (TMTr); and those described herein). Amino-protecting groups are known to those skilled in the art. In general, the species of protecting group is not critical, provided that it is stable to the conditions of any subsequent reaction(s) on other positions of the compound and can be removed at the appropriate point without adversely affecting the remainder of the molecule. In addition, a protecting group may be substituted for another after substantive synthetic transformations are complete. Clearly, where a compound differs from a compound disclosed herein only in that one or more protecting groups of the disclosed compound has been substituted with a different protecting group, that compound is within the disclosure

Compounds may also include a tether or "tail moiety" attached to the sterol backbone. The tail moiety may have variable chain length or size and may be one of charged, uncharged, polar, non-polar, hydrophobic, amphipathic, and the like. In various embodiments, a tail moiety may be attached at Rn. A tail moiety may include the heteroatom (O or N) covalently coupled to the sterol backbone. The tail moiety may, for example, be configured to alter the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the compound. Compounds of the present disclosure having different degrees of hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity may, for example, have different rates of uptake into different target microbes. Likewise, altering the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the compounds described herein may affect the retention of the CSA compounds in certain media.

II. FEED COMPONENTS

[0068] The feed can include any number of components typical of animal feeds. Examples of suitable feed components include, but are not limited to proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, fiber, feed water, and additional additives.

[0069] The feed can include a percentage of protein that ensures healthy growth of an animal. Examples of suitable types of proteins that can be included in the feed include, but are not limited to, meat scraps (lysine), fish meal (lysine, methionine), poultry byproduct meal (tryptophan, lysine), blood meal, liver and glandular meal, feather meal (hydrolyzed), animal tankage, milk products, cottonseed meal, peanut meal, soybean meal, sesame meal, sunflower seed meal.

[0070] Carbohydrates are necessary to provide animals with the energy required to grow. Examples of suitable carbohydrates include, but are not limited to, starch, cellulose, pentosans, and other complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can be obtained from corn, sorghum grains (milo), barley, rye, oats, wheat, wheat middlings, and various grain by-products.

[0071] Fats may also be included. Most feed ingredients (maize, barley, safflower, milo, wheat, rice, bran, etc.) contain approximately 2-5% fat and linoleic acid, which are often required for agricultural animals or else they will grow poorly, have a higher tendency to accumulate liver fat, and be more susceptible for respiratory infection. Sources of fats include animal tallow (beef), lard, corn oil, and other vegetable oils. [0072] Minerals used in animal feeds typically include calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorine, iodine, iron, manganese, copper, molybdenum, zinc and selenium. Common mineral supplements in poultry feed are: Limestone, Bone meal, Oyster shell, Sodium chloride, Dicalcium phosphate, Manganese sulphate, Potassium iodide, and Superphosphate. Sources of minerals include meat scraps, fish meal, milk products, ground limestone (calcium), ground oyster shells (calcium), dicalcium phosphate (calcium, phosphorus), defluorinated rock phosphate (phosphorus, calcium), steamed bone meal (phosphorus, calcium), salt (sodium, chlorine, iodine), manganese sulfate (manganese), manganese oxide (manganese), zinc carbonate (zinc), zinc oxide (zinc).

[0073] Animal feeds can include vitamins. Vitamins most commonly function as coenzymes and regulators of metabolism. Example sources include yeasts, fish solubles, distillers' solubles, liver meal, alfalfa meal, milk by-products.

[0074] In addition to the cationic cholesterol additive, the feed can include other additional feed additives. Some additives that promote feed intake or selection include antioxidants like BHT (Butylated hydroxy toluene), Santoquin, Ethoxyquin, BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisode), and DPPD (Diphenyl paraphenyl diamine. Pellet binders include Sodium Bentonite (clay), liquid or solid by-products of the wood pulp industry, molasses, and guarmeal. Additives that enhance the color or quality of the marketed product include Xanthophylls, synthetic carotinoid, and canthaxanthin. Chelates include EDTA. Enzymes include Agrozyme, Diazyme, Zymopabst, Prozyme and Avizyme. Probiotics are typically strains of lactobacillus and streptococcus. While most traditional animal feeds include an antibiotic such as penicillin, streptomycin, tetracyclines, or aureomycin, in a preferred embodiment, the feed of the present invention is free of penicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, aureomycin, derivatives of these, and similar compounds that inhibit bacterial growth and in particular is free of antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis. The cationic cholesterol additive allows the feed and/or animals to be grown free of these compounds while still achieving good growth and health. Although not necessary or preferred the feed and methods of the present invention can include antibiotics.

[0075] Those skilled in the art are familiar with the particular recipes for making feed for particular types of agricultural animals and can be prepared in similar formulations when adding an effective amount of the cationic cholesterol additive. [0076] The feed may be liquid or solid. Examples of cholesterol feed compositions include embodiments where the cationic cholesterol group is the primary component of feed water (i.e., water provided to the animal for oral consumption by the animal). III. CATIONIC CHOLESTEROL ADDITIVES

[0077] Cationic cholesterol compounds useful as cationic cholesterol additives in accordance with this disclosure are described herein, both generically and with particularity, and also in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,350,738, 6,486, 148, 6,767,904, 7,598,234, and 7,754,705, which are incorporated herein by reference. Compounds include cholesterol derivatives that exhibit one or more beneficial alimentary effects or functions when consumed orally by agricultural animals.

[0078] The cationic cholesterol additives are synthetically produced small molecules that include a sterol backbone having various charged groups (e.g., amine and cationic groups) attached to the sterol backbone. The backbone can be used, for example, to orient amine or guanidine groups on one face, or plane, of the sterol backbone.

[0079] The cholesterol additives can be cationic and amphiphilic, based upon the functional groups attached to the backbone. They can be facially amphiphilic with a hydrophobic face and a polycationic face. For example, a scheme showing a compound having primary amino groups on one face, or plane, of a backbone is shown below in Scheme I:

Scheme I

[0080] The charged groups and amphiphilic properties are believed to be responsible for observed selective inhibition of undesired or harmful bacterial while maintaining or enhancing growth of beneficial microflora in the digestive (e.g. , gastrointestinal) tract.

[0081] In some embodiments, the cholesterol additive may have a formula as set forth in Formula (I), or a salt thereof:

where m, n, p, and q are independently 0 or 1 ; R ^x -R ¹⁸ represent substituents that are attached to the indicated atom on the steroid backbone (i.e., steroid group); and at least two, preferably at least three, of R ^x -R ¹⁸ each include a cationic group.

[0082] In one embodiment, rings A, B, C, and D are independently saturated, or are fully or partially unsaturated, provided that at least two of rings A, B, C, and D are saturated; m, n, p, and q are independently 0 or 1 ; Ri through R ₄ , R ₆ , R7 , Rn , R12, R15, R½, and Ri ₈ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted hydroxyalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyloxyalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylcarboxyalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylaminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylaminoalkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylaminoalkylaminoalkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted arylaminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted haloalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkyloxyalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkylaminocarbonyl,a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkylcarboxamido, a substituted or unsubstituted di(alkyl)aminoalkyl, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )- C(0)-N(H)-, a substituted or unsubstituted azidoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Qs)-C(0)-0-, a substituted or unsubstituted guanidinoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, and a substituted or unsubstituted guanidinoalkyl carboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid (including a side chain of glycine, i.e., H), and P.G. is an amino protecting group; and R5, Rs, R9, Rio, R1 ₃ , Ri ₄ and Rn are independently deleted when one of rings A, B, C, or D is unsaturated so as to complete the valency of the carbon atom at that site, or R5, R ₈ , R ₉ , Rio, R1 ₃ , and R _J4 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted hydroxyalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyloxyalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted haloalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted di(alkyl)aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted C-carboxyalkyl, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)- N(H)-, azidoalkyloxy, cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Qs)-C(0)-0-, guanidinoalkyloxy, and guanidinoalkylcarboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid, P.G. is an amino protecting group, provided that at least two or three of Ri_ ₄ , R ₆ , R7 , Rn, Ri ₂ , R15, R _½ , Ri7, and Ris are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylcarboxyalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylaminoalkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylaminoalkylaminoalkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted arylaminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkyloxyaminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aminoalkylcarboxyamido, a quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted di(alkyl)aminoalkyl, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-N(H)-, azidoalkyloxy, cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Qs)-C(0)-0-, a substituted or unsubstituted guanidinoalkyloxy, and a substituted or unsubstituted guanidinoalkylcarboxy.

[0083] In some embodiments, Ri through R ₄ , R ₆ , R7 , Rn , Ri ₂ , R15, R½, and Ris are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-C ₂₂ ) hydroxyalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkyloxy-(Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkylamino-(Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkylamino-(Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkylamino-(Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkylamino- (Ci- C ₂₂ ) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-C ₂₂ ) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted arylamino-(Ci-C ₂₂ ) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-C ₂₂ ) haloalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted C ₂ -C ₆ alkenyl, a substituted or unsubstituted C ₂ -C6 alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkyloxy-(Ci-C22) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci- C22) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkylcarboxamido, a substituted or unsubstituted di(Ci-C22 alkyl)aminoalkyl, ¾N- HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-N(H)-, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) azidoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Qs)- C(0)-0-, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) guanidinoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, and a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) guanidinoalkyl carboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid (including a side chain of glycine, i.e., H), and P.G. is an amino protecting group; R5, Rs, R9, Rio, Ri ₃ , Ri4 and R _J7 are independently deleted when one of rings A, B, C, or D is unsaturated so as to complete the valency of the carbon atom at that site, or R5, Rs, R9, Rio, Ri ₃ , and R14 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci- C22) hydroxyalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) alkyloxy-(Ci-C22) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) haloalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C2-C ₆ ) alkenyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C2-C ₆ ) alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted di(Ci-C22 alkyl)aminoalkyl, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-N(H)-, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) azidoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Qs)- C(0)-0-, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) guanidinoalkyloxy, and (C1-C22) guanidinoalkylcarboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid, and P.G. is an amino protecting group; provided that at least two or three of Ri_ ₄ , R ₆ , R7 , Rn, R12, R15, R½, Ri7, and Ris are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-C22) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) alkylamino-(Ci-C22) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) alkylamino-(Ci-C22) alkylamino (C1-C22) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted arylamino (Ci- C22) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkyloxy (C1-C22) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) aminoalkylcarboxyamido, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted di(Ci-C22 alkyl)aminoalkyl, Ι¾Ν-Η(χ(¾)- C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-N(H)-, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) azidoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Qs)- C(0)-0-, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) guanidinoalkyloxy, and a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C22) guanidinoalkylcarboxy.

[0084] In some embodiments, Ri through R ₄ , R ₆ , R7 , Rn , R12, R15, R½, and Ris are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) hydroxyalkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkyloxy-(Ci- Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylamino-(Ci-Ci ₈ )alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylamino-(Ci-Cis) alkylamino, (Ci- Ci8) alkylamino-(Ci-Ci8) alkylamino- (Ci-Cis) alkylamino, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkyl, an unsubstituted aryl, an unsubstituted arylamino-(Ci-Cis) alkyl, oxo, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkyloxy, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkyloxy-(Ci-Ci ₈ ) alkyl, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkylcarboxy, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, an unsubstituted(Ci-Cis) aminoalkylcarboxamido, an unsubstituted di(Ci-Cis alkyl)aminoalkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) guanidinoalkyloxy, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, and unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) guanidinoalkyl carboxy; R5, Rs, R9, Rio, R1 ₃ , Ri ₄ and R ₁₇ are independently deleted when one of rings A, B, C, or D is unsaturated so as to complete the valency of the carbon atom at that site, or R5, Rs, R9, Rio, R1 ₃ , and Ri ₄ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) hydroxyalkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkyloxy-(Ci-Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-Ci ₈ ) alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylamino-(Ci-Ci ₈ )alkyl, (Ci-Cis) alkylamino-(Ci-Ci8) alkylamino, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylamino-(Ci-Ci8) alkylamino- (C1-C 18) alkylamino, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkyl, an unsubstituted aryl, an unsubstituted arylamino-(Ci-Ci ₈ ) alkyl, oxo, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkyloxy, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkyloxy-(Ci-Ci8) alkyl, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkylcarboxy, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkylcarboxamido, an unsubstituted di(Ci-Cis alkyl)aminoalkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) guanidinoalkyloxy, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, and unsubstituted (d-Cis) guanidinoalkyl carboxy; provided that at least two or three of Ri_ ₄ , R ₆ , R7 , Rn, R12, R15, Ri6, R17, and Ri ₈ are independently selected from the group consisting of of hydrogen, hydroxyl, an unsubstituted (d-Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (d-Cis) hydroxyalkyl, unsubstituted (d-Cis) alkyloxy-(Ci-Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (d-Cis) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (d-Cis) alkylamino- (Ci-Ci ₈ )alkyl, unsubstituted (d-Cis) alkylamino-(Ci-Cis) alkylamino, unsubstituted (d- Ci8) alkylamino-(Ci-Ci8) alkylamino- (d-Cis) alkylamino, an unsubstituted (d-Cis) aminoalkyl, an unsubstituted aryl, an unsubstituted arylamino-(Ci-Cis) alkyl, oxo, an unsubstituted (d-Cis) aminoalkyloxy, an unsubstituted (d-Cis) aminoalkyloxy-(Ci-Ci8) alkyl, an unsubstituted (d-Cis) aminoalkylcarboxy, an unsubstituted (d-Cis) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, an unsubstituted (d-Cis) aminoalkylcarboxamido, an unsubstituted di(Ci-Cis alkyl)aminoalkyl, unsubstituted (d-Cis) guanidinoalkyloxy, unsubstituted (d-Cis) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, and unsubstituted (d-Cis) guanidinoalkyl carboxy.

[0085] In some embodiments, the compounds, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are selected from the compound of Formula (IA), which is a subgenus of Formula (I) in that R15 is omitted

wherein fused rings A, B, C, and D are independently saturated or fully or partially unsaturated; and each of Ri through R ₄ , R ₆ , R7, Rn, R12, R½, R17, and Ris is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C10) alkyl, (d-do) hydroxyalkyl, (d-do) alkyloxy-(d-C ₁₀ ) alkyl, (d-C ₁₀ ) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, d-do) alkylamino-(d-do) alkyl, (d-do) alkylamino- (Ci- C10) alkylamino, (C1-C10) alkylamino-(d-do) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (d-do) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted arylamino-(d-do) alkyl, (d-do) haloalkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkyloxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkylcarboxamido, a substituted or unsubstituted C- carboxy(Ci-Cio)alkyl, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)— O— , H ₂ N— HC(Q ₅ )-C(0) — N(H) — , (d- Cio) azidoalkyloxy, (Ci-Cio) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN— HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)— O— , (Ci-Cio) guanidinoalkyloxy, (Ci-Cio) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, and (Ci-Cio) guanidinoalkyl carboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid (including the side chain of glycine, i.e., H), PG. is an amino protecting group, and R5, Rs, R9, Rio, R13, and Ri4 is each independently: deleted when one of fused rings A, B, C, or D is unsaturated so as to complete the valency of the carbon atom at that site, or selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, 10 a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) alkyl, (Ci- C1 ₀ ) hydroxyalkyl, (C1-C1 ₀ ) alkyloxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci- C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, C1-C1 ₀ haloalkyl, C ₂ -C ₆ alkenyl, C ₂ - C ₆ alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, H ₂ N— HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)— O— , H ₂ N— HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)— N(H)— , (C1-C1 ₀ ) azidoalkyloxy, (C1-C10) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN— HC(Q ₅ )-C(0) — O— , (C1-C10) guanidinoalkyloxy, and (C1-C1 ₀ ) guanidinoalkylcarboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid, PG. is an amino protecting group, and provided that at least two of Ri through R14 are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci- C10) aminoalkyloxy, (C1-C10) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, (C1-C10) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino, (C1-C10) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted arylamino(Ci-Cio) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C10) aminoalkyloxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, (C1-C1 ₀ ) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )C(0)— O— , H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)— N(H)— , (C1-C10) azidoalkyloxy, (C1-C10) cyanoalkyloxy, PG.-HN-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)— O, (C1-C1 ₀ ) guanidinoalkyloxy, and (C1-C1 ₀ ) guanidinoalkylcarboxy; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

[0086] In some embodiments, rings A, B, C, and D are independently saturated, heterocyclic, and/or non-heterocyclic. [0087] In some embodiments, R3, R7, R12, and Ris are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) hydroxyalkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkyloxy-(Ci-Cis) alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-Ci ₈ ) alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylamino-(Ci-Ci ₈ )alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylamino-(Ci-Ci8) alkylamino, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) alkylamino-(Ci-Ci ₈ ) alkylamino- (Ci-Cis) alkylamino, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkyl, an unsubstituted arylamino-(Ci-Ci ₈ ) alkyl, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkyloxy, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkyloxy-(Ci-Ci ₈ ) alkyl, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkylcarboxy, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, an unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) aminoalkylcarboxamido, an unsubstituted di(Ci-Cis alkyl)aminoalkyl, an unsubstituted C-carboxy(Ci-Cis)alkyl, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) guanidinoalkyloxy, unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, and unsubstituted (Ci-Cis) guanidinoalkyl carboxy; and R R ₂ , R ₄ , R5, R ₆ , Rs, R9, Rio, Ri _b Ri ₃ , Ri4, Ri5, Ri6, and Rn are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and unsubstituted (Ci-C ₆ ) alkyl.

[0088] In some embodiments, R _{l 5} R ₂ , R4, R5, R ₆ , Rs, Rio, R11, Ri ₄ , R½, and R _J7 are each hydrogen; and R9 and R13 are each methyl.

[0089] In some embodiments, R3, R7, Ri ₂ , and Ris are independently selected from the group consisting of aminoalkyloxy; aminoalkylcarboxy; alkylaminoalkyl; alkoxycarbonylalkyl; alkylcarbonylalkyl; di(alkyl)aminoalkyl; C-carboxyalkyl; alkoxycarbonylalkyl; and alkylcarboxyalkyl.

[0090] In some embodiments, R3, R7, and Ri ₂ are independently selected from the group consisting of aminoalkyloxy and aminoalkylcarboxy; and Ris is selected from the group consisting of alkylaminoalkyl; alkoxycarbonylalkyl; alkylcarbonyloxyalkyl; di(alkyl)aminoalkyl; alkylaminoalkyl; alkyoxycarbonylalkyl; and alkylcarboxyalkyl.

[0091] In some embodiments, R3, R7, and Ri ₂ are the same substituent or different substituents and/or may be independently an aminoalkyloxy and/or an aminoalkylcarboxy. In some embodiments, Ris is alkylaminoalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl-alkyl, di(alkyl)aminoalkyl, C-carboxyalkyl, or an alkylcarboxyalkyl. In some embodiments, R3, R7, Ri ₂ , and Ris are independently selected from the group consisting of amino-C ₃ - alkyloxy; amino-C ₃ -alkyl-carboxy; Cs-alkylamino-Cs-alkyl; C ₈ -alkoxy-carbonyl-C ₄ - alkyl; C ₈ -alkyl-carbonyl-C ₄ -alkyl; di-(C5-alkyl)amino-Cs-alkyl; C-carboxy-C ₄ -alkyl; C ₁₃ - alkylamino-C5-alkyl; C6-alkoxy-carbonyl-C ₄ -alkyl; and C6-alkyl-carboxy-C ₄ -alkyl. [0092] In some embodiments, the compounds or salts thereof are selected from the compound of Formula (IB :

[0093] In some embodiments, the compounds or salts thereof of the compound of Formula (IB), is selected from the group consisting of:

[0094] In some embodiments, the cholesterol additive is

[0096] In some embodiments, the cholesterol additive is

[099] In some embodiments, the cholesterol additive is

[0100] In some embodiments, the cholesterol additive is

[0101] In some embodiments, the cholesterol additive is selected from:

[0102] In some embodiments, the compounds or salts thereof are selected from the compound of Formula (II), which is related to, but not identical to, Formula (I), e.g., in that Ri8, rather than R15, is optional and can be omitted:

rings A, B, C, and D are independently saturated, or are fully or partially unsaturated, provided that at least two of rings A, B, C, and D are saturated;

m, n, p, and q are independently 0 or 1 ;

each of Ri through R ₄ , R ₆ , R7 , Rn , R12, R15, R½, R17, and Ris is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C10) alkyl, (d-C ₁₀ ) hydroxyalkyl, (d-C ₁₀ ) alkyloxy-(d-C ₁₀ ) alkyl, (d-C ₁₀ ) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, (d-do) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, (C1-C10) alkylamino- (d-do) alkylamino, (d-do) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino-(d-do) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (d-do) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted arylamino-(d-do) alkyl, (C1-C10) haloalkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted (d-do) aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (d-do) aminoalkyloxy-(d-do) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (d-do) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (d-do) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (d-Cio) aminoalkylcarboxamido, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )- C(0)-N(H)-, (C1-C1 ₀ ) azidoalkyloxy, (d-Cio) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, (C1-C10) guanidinoalkyloxy, (d-do) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, and (d-do) guanidinoalkyl carboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid (including a side chain of glycine, i.e., H), P.G. is an amino protecting group; and

each of R5, Rs, R9, Rio, R13, and Ri ₄ may be independently deleted when one of fused rings A, B, C, or D is unsaturated so as to complete the valency of the carbon atom at that site, or selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (d-do) alkyl, (d-do) hydroxyalkyl, (d-do) alkyloxy-(d-do) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (d-do) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, (d- Cio) haloalkyl, C ₂ -C ₆ alkenyl, C ₂ -C6 alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-N(H)-, (Ci-Cio) azidoalkyloxy, (Ci-Cio) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, (Ci-Cio) guanidinoalkyloxy, and (Ci-Cio) guanidinoalkylcarboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid, P.G. is an amino protecting group, provided that at least two or three of Ri_ _4i R ₆ , R7 , R11, Ri ₂ , Ri5, Ri6, Ri7, and Ris are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C10) aminoalkyloxy, (C1-C10) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, (C1-C10) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino, (C1-C10) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted arylamino(Ci-Cio) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyloxy-(Ci-Cio) aminoalkyl-aminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci- Cio) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C5) aminoalkylcarboxyamido, a (C1-C1 ₀ ) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, H ₂ N-HC(Qs)- C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-N(H)-, (C1-C1 ₀ ) azidoalkyloxy, (C1-C1 ₀ ) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, (C1-C10) guanidinoalkyloxy, and a (C1-C10) guanidinoalkylcarboxy.

[0103] In Formula (II), at least two or three of R3, R7, or Ri ₂ may independently include a cationic moiety attached to the Formula (II) structure via a hydrolysable linkage. Optionally, a tail moiety may be attached to Formula (II) at R17. The tail moiety may be charged, uncharged, polar, non-polar, hydrophobic, amphipathic, and the like. Although not required, at least two or three of m, n, p. and q can be 1. In a preferred embodiment, m, n, and p = 1 and q = 0.

[0104] In some embodiments, the compound of Formula (II) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt can be represented by Formula (IIA), which is a subgenus of Formula (II) in that Ris is omitted:

fused rings A, B, C, and D are independently saturated or fully or partially unsaturated;

each of ¾ through R ₄ , R ₆ , R7, Rn, R12, R15, Ri6, and Rn is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) alkyl, (C1-C10) hydroxyalkyl, (C1-C10) alkyloxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, (C1-C10) alkylcarboxy- (C1-C10) alkyl, C1-C10) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, (C1-C10) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino, (C1-C10) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted arylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, (C1-C10) haloalkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C10) aminoalkyloxy-(C i-Cio) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkylcarboxamido, H ₂ N-HC(Q5)-C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-N(H)-, (C C ₁₀ ) azidoalkyloxy, (C1-C10) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, (C1-C10) guanidinoalkyloxy, (C1-C1 ₀ ) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, and (C1-C1 ₀ ) guanidinoalkyl carboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid (including the side chain of glycine, i.e., H), PG. is an amino protecting group;

R5, Re, R9, Rio, Ri ₃ , and Ri ₄ is each independently: deleted when one of fused rings A, B, C, or D is unsaturated so as to complete the valency of the carbon atom at that site, or selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C10) alkyl, (C1-C10) hydroxyalkyl, (C1-C10) alkyloxy-(C i-Cio) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, Ci- C1 ₀ haloalkyl, C ₂ -C6 alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₆ alkynyl, oxo, a linking group attached to a second steroid, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyloxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci-Cio) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-N(H)-, (C C ₁₀ ) azidoalkyloxy, (Ci-Cio) cyanoalkyloxy, P.G.-HN-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, (Ci-Cio) guanidinoalkyloxy, and (Ci-Cio) guanidinoalkylcarboxy, where Q5 is a side chain of any amino acid, PG. is an amino protecting group; and

at least two of Ri through R14 are independently selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyloxy, (C1-C1 ₀ ) alkylcarboxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, (C1-C10) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino, (C1-C10) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino-(Ci-Cio) alkylamino, a substituted or unsubstituted (Ci- Cio) aminoalkylcarboxy, a substituted or unsubstituted arylamino(Ci-Cio) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C10) aminoalkyloxy-(Ci-Cio) alkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C1 ₀ ) aminoalkylaminocarbonyl, (C1-C1 ₀ ) quaternary ammonium alkylcarboxy, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )C(0)-0-, H ₂ N-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-N(H)-, (C _r C _w ) azidoalkyloxy, (C1-C10) cyanoalkyloxy, PG.-HN-HC(Q ₅ )-C(0)-0-, (C1-C10) guanidinoalkyloxy, and (Ci- Cio) guanidinoalkylcarboxy.

[0105] While not required, the cationic cholesterol compounds can be pharmaceutically acceptable salts of any of the cationic cholesterol additives described herein. In some embodiments, the pharmaceutically acceptable salt is a hydrochloride salt. In some embodiments, the pharmaceutically acceptable salt is a tri-hydrochloride salt.

[0106] While not required, the compound preferably has low bioavailability. The bioavailability is preferably less than 50%, 20%, 10%, or 1% in water and/or in the drinking water and/or feed composition used to deliver the cationic cholesterol additive.

[0107] In some embodiments, compounds comprise a ring system of at least 4 fused rings, where each of the rings has from 5-7 atoms. The ring system has two faces, and contains 3 chains attached to the same face. Each of the chains contains a nitrogen-containing group that is separated from the ring system by at least one atom; the nitrogen-containing group is an amino group, e.g., a primary amino group, or a guanidino group.

[0108] The compound can also contain a hydrophobic group. In some embodiments, the hydrophobic group is a substituted (C ₃ -C1 ₀ ) aminoalkyl group, a (C1-C1 ₀ ) alkyloxy (Ci- C1 ₀ ) alkyl group, or a (C1-C1 ₀ ) alkylamino (C ₃ -C1 ₀ ) alkyl group, attached to the steroid backbone. In some embodiments, the hydrophobic group is a substituted, branched, or unbranched substitutent with greater than 12, 16, 18, 20, or 22 carbons. In some embodiments, the hydrophobic group may include a hydrocarbon chain of at least 9, 11, or 13 carbons distal to a heteroatom. In some embodiments, a compound having a structure according to Formula (I) includes a hydrophobic group at Ris.

[0109] In some embodiments, the compounds set forth herein preserve certain stereochemical and electronic characteristics found in steroids. The term "same configuration" as used herein refers to substituents on the fused steroid having the same stereochemical orientation. For example, in some embodiments, substituents R3, R7 and R12 are all 13 -substituted or a-substituted.

[0110] In some embodiments, compounds include, but are not limited to, compounds having amine or guanidine groups covalently attached to a steroid backbone or scaffold at any carbon position, e.g. , cholic acid. In various embodiments, a group is covalently attached at any one, or more, of positions C3, C7 and C12 of the steroid backbone or scaffold. In additional embodiments, a group is absent from any one, or more, of positions C ₃ , C7 and C 12 of the steroid backbone or scaffold. Compounds that include such groups can include a tether, the tether having variable chain length or size. As used herein, the terms "tether" or "tethered," when used in reference to a compound, refers to the chain of atoms between the steroid backbone or scaffold and a terminal amino or guanidine group. In various embodiments, a tether is covalently attached at anyone, or more, of positions C ₃ , C7 and C 12. In additional embodiments, a tether is lacking at anyone, or more, of positions C ₃ , C7 and C 12. A tether length may include the heteroatom (O or N) covalently attached to the steroid backbone. The tether may include a hydrolysable linkage such as an ester linkage.

[0111] In some embodiments, other ring systems can also be used, e.g., 5-member fused rings. Compounds with backbones having a combination of 5- and 6-membered rings are also contemplated. Amine or guanidine groups can be separated from the backbone by at least one, two, three, four or more atoms. The backbone can be used to orient the amine or guanidine groups on one face, or plane, of the steroid. For example, a scheme showing a compound having primary amino groups on one face, or plane, of a backbone is shown in Scheme I above.

[0112] The compounds and compositions disclosed herein are optionally prepared as pharmaceutically acceptable salts. The term "pharmaceutically acceptable salt" as used herein is a broad term, and is to be given its ordinary and customary meaning to a skilled artisan (and is not to be limited to a special or customized meaning), and refers without limitation to a salt of a compound that does not cause significant irritation to an organism to which it is administered and does not abrogate the biological activity and properties of the compound.

IV. FEED COMPOSITIONS

[0113] The feed compositions are prepared by selecting suitable feed components for formulating a feed for a particular type of animal and adding an effective amount of cationic cholesterol compound for enhancing the health and reducing the morbidity of the animal. The feed component can be solid or liquid. The feed component can be animal food that provides calories and nutrients or it may be drinking water.

[0114] Suitable effective amounts of cationic cholesterol compounds in a feed composition includes concentrations of the cationic cholesterol additive of at least 0.0001%, 0.01 %, 0.1%, 1.0% by weight and/or less than 5%, 1%, or 0.1%, 0.01 and/or within a range of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the cationic cholesterol compounds may be included in a fluid. The concentration may be at least 0.5 ppm, 1 ppm, 2 ppm, 5 ppm, 10 ppm and/or less than 1000 ppm, 500 ppm, 100 ppm, 50 ppm, or 10 ppm, or within a range of any of the foregoing concentrations.

[0115] The feed composition may be formulated to provide proper nutrients to an animal selected from the group of cattle, horses, poultry, sheep, or swine.

[0116] The cationic cholesterol additive may be any of the cationic cholesterol additives described herein or a combination of these. The cationic cholesterol additive may have cationic groups attached to the sterol group through a hydrolysable ester linkage. An ester linkage may allow for the compound to degrade into cholesterol and an amine compound.

V. METHODS AND USES

[0117] Methods disclosed herein include treating agricultural animals with a cationic cholesterol additive. The method may include providing feed to an animal with an effective amount of a cationic cholesterol compound for enhancing health and growth of the animal. The feed composition may be administered orally in the feed (wet or dry), include solid foods, slurries, solutions, dispersions, and/or drinking water of the animal. The administration may be periodically or continuously throughout the growth of the animal to maturity or at periods throughout the growth of the animal. The compound can be administered in the feed through a regular feeding. "Feeding" includes eating and/or drinking. [0118] In some embodiments, the cationic cholesterol additive is administered at least once every 10 days, 5 days, 2 days, or 1 day for a period of at least 1 month, 2 months, or 3 months, or 6 months. The cationic cholesterol additive may be administered in at least 25%, 50%, 75% or 90% of the feedings of the animal for at least 25%, 50%, 75%, or 90% of the animal's growth to maturity or during its life time or even in substantially all of the animal's food or drinking water.

[0119] The methods are particularly advantageous for confined animal feed operations. In some embodiments, the method is carried out where the number of animals in the feeding operation is at least 250 beef; 150 dairy cattle; 500 swine; 100 horses; 2,000 sheep or lambs; 5,000 turkeys; or 5,000 chickens. In another embodiment the number of animals may be at least 500 beef; 300 dairy cattle; 1000 swine; 200 horses; 4,000 sheep or lambs; 10,000 turkeys; or 10,000 chickens.

[0120] The compositions and methods can reduce harmful bacteria in the digestive tract of an animal (e.g. , e. coli, salmonella, or bacteria that may cause or aggravate hepatitis), increase beneficial bacteria flora (e.g. , lactobacillus), improve feed conversion efficiency, reduce morbity and/or mortality, and/or yield harvested meat having reduced content of harmful bacteria. Unexpectively, cationic cholesterol molecules have been shown to be selective toward killing harmful bacterial instead of beneficial bacteria, i. e. , because the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cationic cholesterol molecules required to kill harmful bacterial is substantially lower, e.g. , an order of magnitude lower, than the MIC required to kill beneficial bacteria. By way of example, the MIC for harmful bacteria can be 1-3 ppm, while the MIC for benficial bacteria can be 50 ppm or more. A postulated reason may be that bacteria that make up beneficial digestive trace flora have, by evolution, adapted to molecules such as cholesterol that are commonly found in animal cells, including cells in the digestive tract, while harmful bacteria have not been able to adapt as well to such molecules.

[0121] The ability of the cationic cholesterol molecules to kill harmful bacteria in the digestive track provides animals with improved health. Moreover, when an animal is harvested for meat, the decreased quantity of harmful bacteria in the digestive track of the slaughtered animal would be expected to reduce the content of harmful bacteria in the harvested meat.

[0122] By way of example, animals that normally had a feed conversion efficiency of 1.73 lbs. of feed for every 1 lb. of growth of were found to have a feed conversion efficiency of 1.63 lbs. of feed for every 1 lb. of growth when fed cationic cholesterol molecules. That represents a 6% increase in feed conversion efficiency.

VI. EXAMPLES

Example 1 - Decreased Morbidity of Chickens

[0123] A study of 50,000 birds performed in 2 groups of 25,000 birds was performed on a confined animal feed operation. The following cationic cholesterol additive (CSA-44) was

[0124] The additive was prepared in drinking water at a concentration of 5 ppm. The dry feed administered to the chickens contained no antibiotic.

[0125] A control group of birds was delivered tetracycline in animal feed according to conventional practices.

[0126] The cationic cholesterol additive was given from day one through day 35. Death loss went from an average of 1400-1500 birds in the control group to 535 with the cationic cholesterol additive. Weight gain for the birds fed with the additive improved from 0.112 lbs per day to 0.120 lbs per day and the harvest weight went from 3.85 lbs to 4.22 lbs. In addition, feed conversion efficiency was improved by 8%. That means the animals more efficiently utilized the feed, which could reduce feed costs and/or result in healthier animals. Accordingly, some embodiments described herein are directed to methods/ processes of improving feed conversion efficiency. The improved health and weight gain of the birds using the cholesterol additive is surprising and unexpected given the absence of tetracycline in the feed as compared to the control, which included tetracycline.

Example 2

Effect of cationic cholesterol compound on mortality & morbidity of animal in a C. difficile challenge model

[0127] Clostridium difficile -associated diseases (e.g. antimicrobic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis) are usually nosocomial in origin and result in excessive morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. There has been a significant increase in the incidence and severity of C. difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) in the past several years. Current guidelines recommend treatment with metronidazole. Recently, a new, highly virulent strain of C. difficile has appeared that is less responsive to standard therapy and is associated with a high rate of recurrence.

[0128] To evaluate the effectiveness of cationic cholesterol compounds on GI microbiota, the following compound (CSA-44) was administered oraly by gastric

[0129] To determine the health improvements caused by the cationic cholesterol compound, the concentration (cfu/mL) of Lactobacillus bacteria (LAB) (beneficial flora) in the ileum, cecum, and colon was determined at 12 and 24 hours. The LAB concentration was compared to control mice.

[0130] As illustrated in the graphs of Figures 1 and 2, the cationic cholesterol compound appears to have a significant "sparing" effect on beneficial LAB flora in the ileum, cecum and colon when compared to control mice at 12 and 24 hr post Tx, resulting in almost a 2 log increase in LAB concentratin in all 3 segments of the intestine when compared to control mice. This increase in LAB concentratin flora is a surprising and unexpected result. These results also suggest a mechanism by which the chicken morbidity rate was decreased in the study described in Example 1. It also suggests that the MIC for beneficial bacteria such as LAB is substantially higher than the MIC for harmful bacteria such as C. difficile.

[0131] In another study with the mice of Example 2, a cationic cholesterol additive was administered to determine changes in weight gain. The compound was administered orally @ 10/mg/kg once, 24 and 48 hrs after C. difficile ATCC 9689 challenge at 1 x 10 ⁵ cfu or 72 hours after challenge with 1 x 10 ⁶ cfu (Day 0). The results are illustrated in the graph of Figure 3. While not statistically different, there was a trend for the treated mice to have greater weight gain after challenge with C. difficile.

[0132] The mice of Example 2 were also evaluated for decreased morbidity in an LD ₅₀ C. difficile challenge model. The cationic cholesterol compound was administered 12 hours after challenge. The chart of Figure 4 illustrates the steps used in performing the study. The results shown in the graph of Figure 5 illustrate the improved survival rate of the challenge using the cationic cholesterol compound.

[0133] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. What is claimed is: