Toxicopathological studies of meloxicam, ibuprofen and diclofenac sodium in broiler chicks

Abstract

The present research work was conducted on eight groups of day old Cobb-400 broiler chicks to study the toxicopathological effects of meloxicam, ibuprofen and diclofenac sodium. Clinical signs viz. dullness, depression, anorexia, lameness, unthriftiness with ruffled feather, drooping of the wings and lethargy with shrunken eyes were noticed in birds of diclofenac treated group II. During the study, 25% mortality was observed in diclofenac treated group. Meloxicam and ibuprofen treated birds did not have any mortality. Reduction in body weight gain and feed intake and increase in Kidney:Bodyweight ratio were observed in diclofenac treated group II as compared to control group. The average FCR was higher in diclofenac treated group (3.82) as compared to control group (2.19). There was significant rise (p<0.01) in mean values of serum uric acid, BUN, creatinine, AST and ALT in diclofenac treated group. Ibuprofen treated group with high dose revealed significant increase in AST and ALT. Gross and microscopic lesions of visceral gout were mainly observed in chicks that died during the experiment from diclofenac treated group. The overall lesions showed that diclofenac was nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic in nature. Ibuprofen treated group with high dose showed slightly enlarged and pale liver in few birds while meloxicam treated groups did not reveal any pathomorphological changes.