Potential Effects of Anthocyanin-Rich Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Extract on the Growth, Intestinal Histomorphology, Blood Biochemical Parameters, and the Immune Status of Broiler Chickens

Shimaa A Amer; Hanan S Al-Khalaifah; Ahmed Gouda; Ali Osman; Nehal I A Goda; Haiam A Mohammed; Mahmoud I M Darwish; Aziza M Hassan; Sherif Kh A Mohamed

doi:10.3390/antiox11030544

Potential Effects of Anthocyanin-Rich Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Extract on the Growth, Intestinal Histomorphology, Blood Biochemical Parameters, and the Immune Status of Broiler Chickens

Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Mar 13;11(3):544. doi: 10.3390/antiox11030544.

Authors

Shimaa A Amer¹, Hanan S Al-Khalaifah², Ahmed Gouda³, Ali Osman⁴, Nehal I A Goda⁵, Haiam A Mohammed⁶, Mahmoud I M Darwish⁷, Aziza M Hassan⁸, Sherif Kh A Mohamed⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
² Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait.
³ Animal Production Department, Agricultural & Biological Research Division, National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo 11865, Egypt.
⁴ Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
⁵ Department of Histology and Cytology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
⁶ Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
⁸ Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.

Abstract

The potential effects of anthocyanin-rich roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract (ARRE) on the growth, carcass traits, intestinal histomorphology, breast muscle composition, blood biochemical parameters, antioxidant activity, and immune status of broiler chickens were evaluated. In the present study, Hibiscus acidified ethanolic extract was reported to have a total anthocyanin content of about 359.3 mg cyanidin 3-glucoside/100 g DW, total polyphenol concentration (TPC) of about 598 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g DW, and total flavonoids (TFs) of about 100 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/100 g DW. Two-hundred-fifty one-day-old chicks (Ross 308 broiler) (87.85 gm ± 0.32) were randomly allotted to five experimental groups and fed on basal diets supplemented with five levels of ARRE: 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg Kg^-1 for 35 days. Dietary ARRE addition did not improve the birds' growth and carcass traits. Supplemental ARRE increased the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (ω-3) percentage in the breast muscle. Dietary ARRE increased the villous height, and the ARRE100 group raised the villus height to crypt depth ratio. Dietary ARRE increased the immunoexpression of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the spleen. The serum thyroxine hormone (T4) level was higher in the ARRE200 group. The serum growth hormone level was increased by ARRE addition in a level-dependent manner. According to the broken-line regression analysis, the optimum inclusion level of ARRE was 280 mg Kg^-1. All levels of supplemental ARRE decreased the serum triglyceride level. The serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was increased in the ARRE100-ARRE400 groups, the serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) level was increased in the ARRE200 group, and the serum malondialdehyde (MDA) level was decreased by increasing the ARRE level. Supplemental ARRE significantly increased the serum levels of lysozymes and IL10. The serum complement 3 (C3) level was increased in ARRE200 and ARRE400 groups. It can be concluded that dietary ARRE addition had many beneficial effects represented by the improvements in the bird's metabolic functions, blood biochemistry, intestinal morphology, antioxidant activity, immune status, and higher ω-3 content in the breast muscles. However, it had no improving effect on the birds' growth.

Keywords: anthocyanin; bird’s health; broilers; growth; intestinal morphometry.

Grants and funding

TURSP-2020/76/Taif University