Effects of Chinese herbal polysaccharides on the immunity and growth performance of young broilers

Abstract

Two trials were conducted to study the effects of two Chinese herbal polysaccharides [achyranthan (ACH), a low-molecular-weight polysaccharide, and astragalan (APS), a high-molecular-weight polysaccaride] on the immunity and growth performance of young broilers. Trial 1 was a 28-d growth assay, in which 7-d-old broilers (n = 240) were randomly allotted to one of three dietary treatments, with eight replicate pens per treatment and ten chickens per pen. Dietary treatments included a control corn-soy-fishmeal (Treatment 1), a diet with 200 mg/kg APS (Treatment 2), and a diet with 200 mg/kg ACH (Treatment 3). Blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture on Days 7, 14, 21, and 28 for determination of serum parameters, and chickens were killed on Day 28 to measure immune organ indexes. Trial 2 was an in vitro trial to study the effects of different concentrations of polysaccharides on broiler splenocyte functions. In Trial 1, feeding either APS or ACH had no significant effects on growth performance of broilers relative to the control. However, compared to the control, feeding ACH significantly increased microhemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers, bursa of Fabricius index, serum albumin, serum calcium, and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations at Day 28 (P < or = 0.05). In Trial 2, both polysaccharides showed significant immunostimulating effects. They increased NO and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production of splenocytes and enhanced splenocyte proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Those results indicate that the immunostimulating effects of APS are not as pronounced as those of ACH. Achyranthan showed immunostimulating effects in both the growth assay and in vitro studies. Therefore, ACH may be a Chinese herbal polysaccharide that has the potential to be used as a feed additive to improve broilers' immunity.

Natural plant extracts and prebiotic compounds as alternatives to antibiotics in broiler chicken diets in a necrotic enteritis challenge model

“…The results of the present study are in agreement with the findings of Kleessen et al (2003) who observed an increase in the relative weight of bursa of broilers in response to the consumption of Jerusalem artichoke fructans syrup (0.5%) administered via drinking water. Chen et al (2003) noted a significantly larger bursa and greater immunomodulatory effect in broilers fed diets supplemented with two Chinese herbal polysaccharides, astragalan and achyranthan.…”

Biochemistry of plant secondary metabolites and their effects in animals

“…In some instances the presence of fructo-oligosaccharides and mananoligosaccharides, which may be produced within the GIT, has proved to be beneficial in reducing the presence of pathogenic bacteria and improving the health of the GIT. This outcome may be a result of alteration of the pH and/ or interference with the ability of micro-organisms to attach to the epithelial tissue within the GIT (Spring et al 2000;Houdijk et al 2002;Chen et al 2003;Spring, 2004).…”

Evaluation system for an experimental study of low-pathogenic avian influenza virus (H9N2) infection in specific pathogen free chickens using lactic acid bacteria,Lactobacillus plantarumKFCC11389P

“…The spleens and bursas of Fabricius were collected and the weights were expressed as the splenic/bursal index. Blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture and subjected to assays for NO and clinical chemistry, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (Chen et al, 2003).…”