The effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of Withania somnifera root, Withania coagulans fruit and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol on immune response and small intestinal morphology of broiler chickens

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study was performed to evaluate the effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of Withania somnifera (WS) root, Withania coagulans (WC) fruit, and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25(OH)2D3] on immune response and small intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 550 male one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly allotted to 55 pens, with 10 birds per pen (replicate), and reared for 42 days. Broiler chickens were fed 11 dietary treatments including a positive control diet with adequate Ca; a negative control diet (Ca concentration reduced by 30%); and the negative control diet supplemented with either WS or WC extracts at three levels (0, 75, and 150 mg/kg diet) or 1,25(OH)2D3 at two different levels (0 and 0.5 μg/kg diet). Antibody response against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was measured on days 32 and 39. Administration of 150 mg/kg WS and WC significantly increased the production of IgG specific to SRBC on primary and secondary antibody response, respectively. Birds given a negative control diet supplemented with only 150 mg/kg WS displayed the highest villus width compared to those given 75 mg/kg WS or WC with 1,25(OH)2D3. The present study showed that supplementation of WS or WC at 150 mg/kg had beneficial effects on humoral immune response. Also, administration of WS significantly increased villus width.