Effects of borneol on blood chemistry changes in chickens

Abstract

It is well established that borneol may be alter bone metabolism. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of feeding diets supplemented with borneol on blood biochemistry of chickens. Forty chicks of a commercial strain ISA Brown were divided into five groups with 8 birds in each and fed diets supplemented with 0%, 0.1%, 0.05% or 0.025% borneol dissolved in sunflower oil from hatching up to week 11. The concentrations of potassium and magnesium were found to be significantly higher in chickens fed the diet supplemented with 0.1% and 0.025% borneol, respectively. The blood plasma levels of total protein and glucose in chickens treated with 0.05% borneol were significantly lowered. Feeding of diets supplemented with borneol significantly increased levels of bilirubin, cholesterol and total lipids in blood plasma compared to the control group supplemented with sunflower oil only. The present study shows that addition of borneol to the diets can influence some parameters of mineral, lipid and protein metabolism in chicken blood plasma.