Effects of Propolis on Selected Blood Indicators and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in Broilers under Heat Stress

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the antioxidant activity of ethanol extracts of propolis (EEP) and vitamin C on biochemical indicators and antioxidant enzyme activities of broilers exposed to heat stress (at 34 °C). The experimental groups were as follows: group I (positive control) and group II (control) were fed a basal diet, group III (vitamin C) was fed a basal diet supplemented with 250 mg vitamin C as ascorbic acid/kg, group IV (EEP-0.5) was fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.5 g EEP/kg, group V (EEP-1) was fed a basal diet supplemented with 1 g EEP/kg, group VI (EEP-3) was fed a basal diet supplemented with 3 g EEP/kg. Plasma superoxide dismutase levels of positive control, control, vitamin C, EEP-0.5, EEP-1 and EEP-3 groups were found as 0.34, 1.23, 0.50, 0.90, 0.30 and 0.41 μkat/ml, respectively (p < 0.01). Aspartate transaminase (except for EEP-0.5 and EEP-1 groups) and alkaline phosphatase in the control group were significantly higher than those of positive control, vitamin-C and EEP-3 groups. Malondialdehyde level in plasma, liver and muscle tissues of control group were found significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those of positive control and EEP-3 groups. Catalase activities of blood, liver, kidney and heart were the highest in the control group. Reduced glutathione activities of plasma and liver of all groups were not significantly different from each other, whereas those of muscle, kidney and heart were significantly higher in the control group. Significantly lower levels of glutathione peroxidase were found in blood, liver and kidney tissues of the control group (p < 0.05), whereas those of muscle and heart were similar in all groups. The results of the present study suggest that EEP and specially EEP at the supplemented dose of 3 mg/kg diet might be considered to prevent oxidative stress in the broilers exposed to heat stress.

Impact of supplementing diets with propolis on productive performance, egg quality traits and some haematological variables of laying hens

“…These results are in agreement with those of Seven et al. (), who found that the concentrations of sodium and potassium were not significantly influenced by the addition of propolis. Similarly, the findings of Roodsari et al.…”

Antioxidant enzyme activities, plasma hormone levels and serum metabolites of finishing broiler chickens reared under high ambient temperature and fed lemon and orange peel extracts and Curcuma xanthorrhiza essential oil

“…In agreement with our results, Seven et al. () found that feeding plant extracts rich in PC, under chronic heat stress, did not affect serum sodium and potassium levels. Literature regarding the influence of high ambient temperature on blood chloride status in chickens is conflicting.…”

Evaluation of the carryover effect of antibiotic, bee pollen and propolis on growth performance, carcass traits and splenic and hepatic histology of growing rabbits

“…On the contrary, ZnB group exhibited an adverse effect on bile ducts featuring portal periductal inflammatory cells infiltration with epithelial hyperplasia, reflecting chronic cholangitis.Very interestingly, these improvements in the hepatic cell morphology due to the supplementation of bee pollen and propolis mixture were concurred with a decrease in hepatic enzymes leakage observed at 150 and 300 ppm of bee pollen and propolis mixture at doe level reported byAttia et al (2018). The present results are in line with those reported byGalal, AbdEl-Motaal, Ahmed, and Zaki (2008),Seven et al (2009) and Attia, Al-Hanoun, and Bovera (2011a),Attia et al (2014).…”