A Microencapsulated Mixture of Eugenol and Garlic Tincture Supplementation Mitigates the Effect of Necrotic Enteritis on Intestinal Integrity and Increases Goblet Cells in Broilers

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the effects of a plant extract mixture, a microencapsulated product composed of eugenol and garlic tincture (PE), on intestinal health in broilers under necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge. A total of 960 d-old mixed-sex Cobb 500 chicks were randomly distributed to 48-floor pens housing 20 birds per pen. Six treatments were applied: UC, unchallenged control; CC, challenged control; PE, challenged group plus PE; AM, challenged group plus antimicrobial (AM); FAP, challenged group plus a full dose of AM with PE; HAP, challenged group plus a half dose of AM with PE in starter, grower and finisher phases. Birds in the challenged groups were inoculated with Eimeria spp. on d 9 and Clostridium perfringens on d14. On d 16, the CC group had increased serum fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (FITC-d), reduced villus surface area, goblet cell number, upregulated CLDN1, JAM2 genes and reduced microbial diversity compared to the UC group (p < 0.05). Birds fed PE had reduced FITC-d, increased goblet cell number and Bifidobacterium compared to the CC group (p < 0.05). Birds fed PE had reduced CLDN5 expression in male birds, and Bacteroides spp. in female birds than CC group (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that PE supplementation mitigates the effect of NE by improving the intestinal health of birds.

Potential of a mixture of eugenol and garlic tincture to improve performance and intestinal health in broilers under necrotic enteritis challenge

“…The microbiota results both in ileal and caecal contents have been reported in a previous paper( Kumar et al, 2021 ). The effects of NE challenge and PE on C. perfringens loads in ileal and caecal contents of broilers on d d16 are shown in Table 4 .…”

“…Moreover, birds fed PE had similar intestinal lesions and oocysts counts compared to the AM group further confirmed the beneficial effects of PE supplementation in diets on intestinal health. In addition, it has been shown that birds fed PE had improved intestinal integrity and increased mucin-secreting goblet cells ( Kumar et al, 2021 ) which can further confirm the protective effects of PE supplementation to the birds against NE. Cumulatively, these findings demonstrated the beneficial effects of PE to reduce the severity of clinical NE challenge on performance and intestinal health as evidenced by improved feed efficiency, livability and uniformity reduced ileal lesions, oocyst counts, and increased skin yellowness.…”

“… 1 UC, unchallenged control; CC, challenged control; PE, plant extract; AM, antimicrobial (narasin and nicarbazin; 50 ppm each active compound); FAP, full dose of AM plus PE; HAP, half dose of AM plus PE. 2 The microbiota results in detail have been reported in a previous paper ( Kumar et al, 2021 ). …”

Dietary Eugenol Nanoemulsion Potentiated Performance of Broiler Chickens: Orchestration of Digestive Enzymes, Intestinal Barrier Functions and Cytokines Related Gene Expression With a Consequence of Attenuating the Severity of E. coli O78 Infection

“…Moreover, Enterobacteriaceae counts followed the same decreasing trend following eugenol nanoemulsion dietary inclusion indicating its valuable effects against pathogenic bacterial species. Similarly reduced loads of Bacteroides species were observed in birds fed a microencapsulated product comprised of garlic and eugenol tincture (40). Moreover, feeding chickens on a product of plant EOs containing active components, such as eugenol decreased the abundance of cecal Enterobacteriaceae (104).…”

Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Phytogenic Substances for Optimizing Gut Health in Poultry

“…In another recent study, it was also noted that birds fed eugenol and garlic had reduced CLDN5 expression in male birds, and Bacteroides spp. in female birds, than in the control group [216], suggesting that eugenol and garlic supplementation mitigates the effect of necrotic enteritis by improving the intestinal health of birds.…”