Background: Thymol and carvacrol as natural essential oils and phenol compounds are components derived from some medicinal plants, such as thyme and oregano species. Objectives:The increasing demands in organic and healthy meat and egg consumption in human society have made it necessary to consider alternative natural compounds for the replacement of chemical compounds in poultry production. The chemical compounds can remain in meat and eggs and cause complications in human health. Therefore, these natural compounds can be fed with a higher safety in poultry production with specific effects. In this regard, the role of thymol and carvacrol as natural compounds in the poultry production has been discussed in the review. Methods:In this study, by searching for keywords related to thymol and carvacrol in poultry production in Google Scholar database, the articles related to different aspects of the biological effects of these two phytogenes in poultry production were selected and analyzed.Results: A review of previous studies has shown that thymol and carvacrol possess a wide range of biological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, modulating of immunity response and regulating of the gut microbial population. Also, in meat type chickens can promote growth and influence feed utilization. The beneficial effect of this compound was evaluated in hepatic toxicity and demonstrated as a hepatoprotective compound in chickens. Furthermore, these compounds can affect the behavior of layers and influence egg composition, eggshell thickness, and the sensory quality of eggs. Conclusion:It seems that with the increasing demand for healthy protein products, these compounds can be used to improve performance as a substitute alternative for chemical compounds in healthy poultry farms.

Context: Aflatoxins as potent mycotoxins can influence vital parameters in chickens. Turmeric was used in decreasing toxic effect of mycotoxins on vital organs, traditionally. Objective: The study compared the protective effect of turmeric and Mycoad TR in broilers exposed to aflatoxin. Materials and methods: Chickens (270) were divided into six groups. The chickens were fed a basal diet, turmeric extract (5 mg/kg diet), Mycoad TR (25 mg/kg diet), productive aflatoxin (3 mg/kg diet), aflatoxin plus turmeric extract (3 versus 5 mg/kg diet), and aflatoxin plus Mycoad TR (3 versus 25 mg/kg diet) in basal diet. At 28 d old, we determined plasma concentration of total protein, albumin, triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), calcium, potassium, phosphorous, uric acid, aspartate transferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Furthermore, liver and kidney were sampled for pathological examination. Results: Chickens fed turmeric with aflatoxin had significant lower ALT, AST, and uric acid than chickens fed aflatoxin (11.4 ± 0.79, 228 ± 9, and 6 ± 0.4 versus 17.2 ± 1.7, 283 ± 5, and 7.7 ± 0.1) whereas, total protein, calcium, and HDL values in chickens fed aflatoxin plus turmeric increased significantly (2.66 ± 0.16, 8.4 ± 0.2, and 920 ± 4.1 versus 1.7 ± 0.17, 7 ± 0.2, and 690 ± 4.8). Pathological examination revealed severe congestion, degeneration, and necrosis in liver and kidney in chickens that received aflatoxin. Discussion and conclusion: The study showed that turmeric may provide protection against the toxic effects of aflatoxin on liver and kidney.ARTICLE HISTORY

Thymol and carvacrol as a natural essential oils and phenol compounds, are a component derived from some medicinal plants, such as thyme and oregano species. These compounds have been shown to possess a wide range of biological activities, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-infalmmatory, modulating of immunity respond and anticarcinogenic properties. One of main effects of these compounds that make them as valuable material in poultry medicine is antibacterial effect. The increasing consumption of organic and healthy meat and eggs in human society has made it increasingly necessary to use compounds that are completely natural and do not cause problems for human health. Since antibiotics are chemical compounds that can remain in meat and eggs and cause antibiotic resistance, allergies, mutations and even poisoning in humans. Therefore, utilization of compounds that are natural antibiotics can be easily fed with a higher safety in healthy poultry production. In this regard, the role of thymol and carvacrol as natural antibiotics in the poultry production has been discussed in a recent review.

Aflatoxicosis is a cause of economic losses in broiler production. In this study, the effect of one commercial nanocompound, Nanocid (Nano Nasb Pars Co., Iran) was evaluated in reduction of aflatoxin effects on the growth and performance indices in broiler chickens suffering from experimental aflatoxicosis. For this, a total of 300 one-day-old broiler chicks (Ross strain) were randomly divided into 4 groups with 3 replicates of 15 chicks in each separated pen during the 28-day experiment. Treatment groups including group A: chickens fed basal diet, group B: chickens fed 3 ppm productive aflatoxin in basal diet, group C: chickens fed basal diet plus 2500 ppm Nanocid, and group D: chickens fed 3 ppm productive aflatoxin and 2500 ppm Nanocid, in basal diet. Data on body weight, body weight gain (BWG), feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded at weekly intervals. Also cumulative data were assessed. Results showed, although supplement of Nanocid to conventional diet had no effect on performance but addition of Nanocid to diet containing 3 ppm aflatoxin increased significantly the cumulative BWG, cumulative feed consumption and decreased FCR in the last 2 weeks of experimental period. The improvement in these performance indices by supplement of Nanocid to diet containing aflatoxin showed the ability of Nanocid to diminish the inhibitory effects of aflatoxin.

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