Use of certain herbal preparations in broiler feeds - A review

Abstract

The importance and use of herbal remedies (turmeric, tulsi, amla and aloe vera etc.) has been reviewed systematically. Turmeric (curcumin), acts as an antioxidant, antimutagenic, antiinflamatory and antimicrobial agent and protect liver against a variety of toxicants. Tulsi (eugenol) have anticancer properties, reduced blood glucose levels, total cholesterol levels and promotes immune system function. Amla, richest source of vitamin-c and it's active tannoid principles have antimicrobial, antidiabetics, anticarcinogenic properties and enhances immune property. Aloe vera contains phytochemicals (Saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and phenols), which is an indication of cosmetic and medicinal value. Turmeric, tulsi, amla and aloe vera preparations increased the body weight gain, feed efficiency and decreased the feed intake. These preparations decreased the mortality rates and the cost of feed has been decreased from 6.2% to 13.5%. They have reduced the fat accumulation, increased dressing percentage, liver weight, spleen weight and whole giblet weights. Significant reduction of serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides and increased the humoral response against RD vaccine.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.) as a phytogenic growth promoter alternative for antibiotic and comparable to mannan oligosaccharides for broiler chicks

“…However, the prohibition of the use of antibiotics in animal feed in Europe in 2006 to improve the safety and security of the food chain caused significant health problems in poultry, such as increasing the incidence of intestine necrotic enteritis and clostridia. These in turn caused major complications related to decreasing animal welfare and increasing economic losses (4,5) . Hence prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, herbs, spices and essential oils has been investigated as an alternative to antibiotics because of their antibacterial, antioxidant, digestive and metabolic enhancing effects (6) .…”

“…Turmeric contains different bioactive compounds, such as curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and tetrahydrocurcuminoids (10,11,12) . These bioactive compounds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and nematocidal activities (10,13,14,15) , protective effects against mutagenicity and hepatocarcinogenicity induced by aflatoxin (2,16) and against coccidiosis (5,17,18) . In the literature, the effects of turmeric supplementation between 0 to 10 g/kg on chicken performance have been inconclusive.…”

Effects of dietary supplement of turmeric powder (Curcuma longa) on blood biochemistry parameters and antioxidant activity in chickens

“…It represents 3% -5% of the curcuminoids in turmeric rhizomes and is a strong phenolic antioxidant (Osawa et al, 1995;Stankovic, 2004;Jaggi Lal, 2012). The biological properties of the turmeric plant and its extracts have been described in numerous reports (Akram et al, 2010;Khan et al, 2012;Eevuri & Putturu, 2013;Nirisha et al, 2015). Its benefits in poultry nutrition include improving broiler performance parameters and endogenous digestive enzyme secretion, and activating immune responses and antimicrobial and antioxidant activities (Dorman & Deans, 2000;Burt, 2004;Khan et al, 2012).…”

Phytogenic pigments in animal nutrition: potentials and risks

“…Curcumin is a natural antioxidant, resulting in positive performance effects such as body weight gain, increased feed efficiency and decreased mortality rates after administration to poultry …”