Dietary Supplementation with Eugenol Nanoemulsion Alleviates the Negative Effects of Experimental Coccidiosis on Broiler Chicken’s Health and Growth Performance

Abstract

The present study investigated the protective efficacy of dietary supplementation with clove essential oil (CEO), its main constituent eugenol (EUG), and their nanoformulated emulsions (Nano-CEO and Nano-EUG) against experimental coccidiosis in broiler chickens. To this aim, various parameters (oocyst number per gram of excreta (OPG), daily weight gain (DWG), daily feed intake (DFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), serum concentrations of total proteins (TP), albumin (ALB), globulins (GLB), triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (CHO) and glucose (GLU), serum activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione s-transferase (GST), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] were compared among groups receiving CEO supplemented feed (CEO), Nano-CEO supplemented feed (Nano-CEO), EUG supplemented feed (EUG), Nano-EUG supplemented feed (Nano-EUG), diclazuril supplemented feed (standard treatment, ST), or basal diet [diseased control (d-CON) and healthy control (h-CON)), from days 1–42. Chickens of all groups, except h-CON, were challenged with mixed Eimeria spp. at 14 days of age. Coccidiosis development in d-CON was associated with impaired productivity (lower DWG and higher DFI and FCR relative to h-CON; p < 0.05) and altered serum biochemistry (decreased TP, ALB, and GLB concentrations and SOD, GST, and GPx activities relative to h-CON; p < 0.05). ST effectively controlled coccidiosis infection by significantly decreasing OPG values compared with d-CON (p < 0.05) and maintaining zootechnical and serum biochemical parameters at levels close to (DWG, FCR; p < 0.05) or not different from (DFI, TP, ALB, GLB, SOD, GST, and GPx) those of h-CON. Among the phytogenic supplemented (PS) groups, all showed decreased OPG values compared with d-CON (p < 0.05), with the lowest value being measured in Nano-EUG. All PS groups showed better values of DFI and FCR than d-CON (p < 0.05), but only in Nano-EUG were these parameters, along with DWG, not different from those of ST. Furthermore, Nano-EUG was the only PS group having all serum biochemical values not different (or even slightly improved) relative to ST and h-CON. In conclusion, the tested PS diets, especially Nano-EUG, can limit the deleterious effects of coccidiosis in broiler chickens, due to anticoccidial activity and possibly their reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, thereby representing a potential green alternative to synthetic anticoccidials.

Effects of dietary essential oil supplementation on growth performance, carcass yield, meat quality, and intestinal tight junctions of broilers with or without Eimeria challenge

“…Our data indicated that both oregano oil and clove oil improved broiler growth performance including weigh gain and feed conversion ability, which was consistent with previous studies ( Nawarathne et al, 2022 ; Zaazaa et al, 2022 ; Youssefi et al, 2023 ). Although broilers are considered to have less sense of taste than other mammalian production animals due to the shortage of sweet sensing gene T1R2 ( Shi and Zhang, 2006 ), essential oils could improve broiler nutrient utilization through other mechanisms.…”

“…In theory, the phenol ring in essential oil could improve the antioxidant ability by degrading oxyradical in vitro ( Bhalla et al, 2013 ). The improvement of antioxidant capacity was also reported in live broiler trials ( Paraskeuas et al, 2017 ; Zhang et al, 2022b ; Youssefi et al, 2023 ). Nevertheless, the inconsistent effects in serum oxidant capacity were also reported in other trials ( Gordillo-Jaramillo et al, 2021 ; Choi et al, 2022 ).…”

“…( Xie et al, 2020 ; Zhang et al, 2022a ). Therefore, essential oil and its bioactive components, mainly extracted from natural herbs, have gained more attention to defend against the negative effects caused by avian coccidiosis in recent studies ( Betancourt et al, 2019 ; Sidiropoulou et al, 2020 ; Gordillo-Jaramillo et al, 2021 ; Youssefi et al, 2023 ).…”

Supplementing broiler diets with bacterial selenium nanoparticles enhancing performance, carcass traits, blood indices, antioxidant status, and caecal microbiota of Eimeria tenella-infected broiler chickens

“…Eimeria infection symptoms include malnutrition, enteritis, and, in severe cases, mortality for some Eimeria species, endangering the health of birds and their economic production ( Youssefi et al, 2023 ). Food security and the global agroeconomy will face significant challenges due to this pathogenic protozoan and its detrimental impact on production due to the ever-increasing human need for protein resources from poultry ( Teng et al, 2023 ).…”

Botanical control of coccidiosis in ruminants

“…Essential oils and vitamins: Essential oils and vitamins are effective parts of plants and have potent immunomodulatory, antifungal, and antioxidant activities (Dudko et al, 2018;Bangulzai et al, 2022;Fan et al, 2022;Pelvan et al, 2022;Raza et al, 2022;Iordache et al, 2023). These activities give great help in reducing the signs of coccidiosis (Rizwan et al, 2021;Adhikari et al, 2020;Youssefi et al, 2023). Multiple researchers have indicated that essential oils and vitamins can be helpful in controlling coccidiosis .…”