Ameliorative property of ginger (Zingiber officinale) in minimising immunosuppression induced by arsenic in White Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)

Abstract

Due to industrialisation heavy metal toxicity is increasing day by day. The current research was performed to reduce the immunosuppressive effects of arsenic (As) by supplementing ginger in basal diet. About 120 White Pekin ducks of 7 days old were randomly allocated into 5 groups having 24 birds in each. Each group contained 3 replicates having 8 birds in each replicate and fed either basal diet as such (control/ T1); T2: 28 ppm As/L of drinking water + basal feed; T3: 28 ppm As/L of drinking water + dried ginger powder @ 100 mg/kg of basal feed; T4: 28 ppm As/L of drinking water + dried ginger powder @ 300 mg/kg of basal feed; T5: 28 ppm As/L of drinking water + dried ginger powder @ 1 g/kg of basal feed for 90 days. The decreased in body weight and FCR in T2 was improved significantly in T4 and T5. Ginger enhanced the activity of anti-oxidative enzymes in spleen tissue of As intoxicated birds. Suppressed immunity due to As toxicity were attenuated by ginger supplementation through enhanced phagocytic activity, phagocytic index, humoral and cell mediated immunity. Similarly, serum corticosterone level was significantly reduced in ginger treated birds than As intoxicated ducks. Besides above facts there were also histopathological alternations of spleen. It was concluded that, As exerts immunosuppressive effects and supplementation of ginger at 1 g/kg diet was effective in enhancing immunity and protecting the ducks from oxidative stress induced by As.