Effects of Olive, Milk Thistle, and Artichoke Extracts on Performance, Biochemical and Enzymatic Changes in Carbon Tetrachloride-intoxicated Broiler Chickens

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the effects of olive, milk thistle, and artichoke extracts on growth performance, biochemical and enzymatic changes in birds intoxicated with CCl4 (at 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mL/kg body weight in days 14, 21, and 28 of age, respectively). Two hundred twenty-five 10-day-old Ross 308 female broiler chicks were used in a completely randomized block design to evaluate the effects of five treatments consisting 1) a basal diet given to the birds injected intraperitoneally with 0.5 mL saline (control-), 2) The same basal diet given to birds injected intraperitoneally with CCl4 (control+), 3, 4, and 5) The basal diet supplemented with either 400 mg/kg milk thistle, olive extracts, or artichoke extract given to the birds injected with CCl4. Dietary Supplementation of each herbal extract increased feed intake compared with the control birds (P < 0.05). The broilers fed on the artichoke supplemented diet showed a greater serum concentration of HDL-c than other birds on day 28 of age (P < 0.05). Feeding the control diet to the CCl4 injected birds and the olive extract-included diet with no injection resulted in a greater serum alanine aminotransferase concentration at day 42 of age (P < 0.05). Serum malondialdehyde concentration decreased in the birds given the control diets (P < 0.05). The supplementary olive extract increased serum concentrations of malondialdehyde and total anti-oxidant on day 42 of age (P < 0.05). Liver health score improved in the broilers grown on the herbal extract-added diets (P < 0.05). In conclusion, administration of olive, milk thistle, and artichoke extracts promoted feed intake and exerted a potentially positive role as an antioxidant in liver health as evidenced by certain promising changes in serum biochemistry and enzyme activity as well as liver health score.