Leverage of Salvadora persica and Pulicaria undulata extracts in Escherichia coli-challenged broiler chickens

Mohamed A Lebda; Ahd A Mansour; Esraa M Elieba; Shahira A Hassoubah; Fatemah AlMalki; Mohamed Abu El-Magd; Sara I Othman; Ahmed M Allam; Guillermo Tellez-Isaias; Ayman E Taha

doi:10.1016/j.psj.2024.103472

Leverage of Salvadora persica and Pulicaria undulata extracts in Escherichia coli-challenged broiler chickens

Poult Sci. 2024 Mar;103(3):103472. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103472. Epub 2024 Jan 17.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Edfina, 22758, Egypt.
² Medical Laboratory Science Department, Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences, Jeddah, 21461, Saudi Arabia.
³ Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafr Elsheikh University, Kafr Elsheikh, 33511, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Biology Department, College of Science and Humanities, Al Quwaiiyah, Shaqra University, Al Quwaiiyah 19257, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Embryology and Anatomy Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafr Elsheikh University, Kafr Elsheikh, 33511, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, 11623, Saudi Arabia; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Beni-suef University, Beni-suef 65211 Egypt.
⁹ Department of Poultry Science, Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701 USA.
¹⁰ Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, 22758, Edfina, Egypt. Electronic address: Ayman.Taha@alexu.edu.eg.

Abstract

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a significant challenge in the poultry industry due to their related use of antimicrobial compounds and the drastic losses in production and livability. This study investigated the preventive impacts of dietary supplementation of Salvadora persica (SP) and/or Pulicaria undulata (PU) extracts on growth traits, biochemical and immune parameters, and related gene expression of E. coli-infected broilers. A total of 120 one-day-old Cobb broilers were used. The chicks were allocated into eight equal groups (3 replicates/ group; 5 chicks per each replicate) as follows: G1; control negative, G2; SP-treated, G3; PU-treated, G4; SP/PU-treated, G5; E. coli infected, G6; E. coli infected and SP-treated, G7; E. coli infected and PU-treated, G8; E. coli infected and SP/PU-treated groups. Results revealed significant improvement in average body weight (ABW), average weight gain (AWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in broilers fed diets supplemented with SP and/or PU compared to control and E. coli infected groups. Moreover, significant (P < 0.05) reduction in ALT, AST, creatinine, and uric acid was reported in other treated groups compared to the single E. coli-infected broilers. On the contrary, a significant increase (P < 0.05) in serum immunoglobulin and protein concentration was also reported in treated groups when compared to E. coli-infected untreated group. In addition, feeding broilers with SP and/or PU significantly improved (P < 0.05) the relative weight of immune-related organs and gene expression of TLR-15, with subsequent down-regulation of IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA transcripts. Supplementing broilers with dietary SP and/or PU could be promising in the prevention of E. coli infection via stimulating significant improvement of immune-related gene expression, immune-related organ weight, and down-regulation of inflammatory-related genes, with subsequent enhancement of the growth performance of broiler chickens.

Keywords: Escherichia coli; Pulicaria undulate; broiler; health status, Salvadora persica.

MeSH terms

Animals
Chickens
Dietary Supplements
Escherichia coli
Pulicaria*
Salvadoraceae*