Securigera securidaca seed medicinal herb supplementation of diets improves pulmonary hypertensive response in broiler chickens reared at high altitude

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary Securigera securidaca seed powder on growth performance, haematological parameters, cardiac indices, electrocardiographic parameters and expression of catalase (CAT), endothelin 1 (ET-1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) genes in the lung in the broilers reared at high altitude (2,100 m above sea level). A total number of 200-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to five treatments including different levels of S. securidaca 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 g/kg in a 42-day trial. The results of this experiment showed that the dietary inclusion of S. securidaca powder improvement in feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). The dietary utilization of 2-4 g/kg S. securidaca significantly increased concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), although significantly lower serum concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and significantly decrease T, R, S electrocardiogram waves compared with control group. Also, the dietary inclusion of 2-4 g/kg S. securidaca prevented right ventricular hypertrophy and increased the expression of iNOS and CAT genes in lung tissue of broilers. On the other hand, S. securidaca significantly suppressed the expression of ET-1 in lung tissue. Generally, the results of this study showed that the use of 3 g/kg of medicinal plant S. securidaca can be beneficial in prevention of pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) in broiler chickens reared at high altitudes.

Expression of antioxidant genes in broiler chickens fed nettle (Urtica dioica) and its link with pulmonary hypertension

“…These studies explained the link between pulmonary CAT overexpression and reduced RV:TV ratio observed in the present study as a result of feeding birds U. dioica. Studies have shown that the use of medicinal plants of K. odoratissima and Securigera securidaca in chickens reared under cold and high altitude conditions increases the expression of CAT and SOD genes in the heart and lung about 150 fold (Ahmadipour, 2018a, Ahmadipour et al., 2015a), which is agree with the results of this experiment. It must be noted that ascites could considerably change expression of genes and then this plant could probably decrease or even improve these changes (Ahmadipour, 2018a, Ahmadipour et al., 2015a, Hassanpour et al., 2015).…”

Medicinal Plants and Phytochemicals for the Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension

“…Flavonoids, alkaloids and saponins are found in its aqueous and alcoholic extracts (Ahmadi et al, 2016). Ahmadipour (2018) reported that the treatment with S. securidaca in broiler chickens with PH could increase NO levels in plasma. NO is a vasorelaxant agent and can improve PH.…”

“…It has been suggested that the antioxidant properties of S. securidaca are due to phytosterols, 4-Methyl-2,6-di-tertbutylphenol, palmitic acid, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid and alkaloidal compounds. Therefore, these compounds could be considered as an appropriate treatment for PH (Ahmadipour, 2018). Several studies demonstrated that there is a strong relationship between ET-1 expression and PH.…”

“…ET-1 expression in PH broilers chicken increased compared with normal broilers (Gómez et al, 2007). Studies show that S. securidaca can reduce ET-1 expression in high altitude-induced PH in broiler chicken (Ahmadipour, 2018). Also, flavonoids found in S. securidaca can reduce transmembrane 45Ca 2+ absorption or inhibit protein kinase C activity, inhibit cAMP-and cGMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) (Beretz et al, 1982) and that eventually leads to reduction in contraction of the vascular system and PH improvement.…”

“…Also, flavonoids found in S. securidaca can reduce transmembrane 45Ca 2+ absorption or inhibit protein kinase C activity, inhibit cAMP-and cGMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) (Beretz et al, 1982) and that eventually leads to reduction in contraction of the vascular system and PH improvement. Therefore, S. securidaca with its vasorelaxant and antioxidant activities can ameliorate outcomes of PH (Ahmadipour, 2018).…”