The effect ofArtemisia annuaon broiler performance, on intestinal microbiota and on the course of aClostridium perfringensinfection applying a necrotic enteritis disease model

Abstract

The aerial parts of the plant Artemisia annua contain essential oils having antimicrobial properties against Clostridium perfringens Type A, the causal agent for necrotic enteritis in broilers. In two experiments, the influence of increasing dietary concentrations of dried A. annua leaves (0, 5, 10 and 20 g/kg) and n-hexane extract from fresh A. annua leaves (0, 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) on broiler performance was investigated. Dried plant material decreased feed intake and body weight in a dose-dependent manner, and 10 and 20 g/kg diet tended to improve the feed conversion ratio. The n-hexane extract also reduced feed intake, but broiler weight tended to decrease only at the highest dietary concentration. The feed conversion ratio tended to improve when birds received 250 and 500 mg/kg n-hexane extract. In a third experiment, a necrotic enteritis disease model was applied to investigate the effect of the dietary addition of dried A. annua leaves (10 g/kg on top) or n-hexane extract of A. annua (250 mg/kg) on the severity of the disease in broilers. The addition of n-hexane extract reduced the intestinal C. perfringens numbers and the severity of the disease-related small intestinal lesions. Over the infection period from day 17 to day 27, birds supplemented with the n-hexane extract gained more weight than both the challenged control birds and birds receiving dried plant material. The results indicate that n-hexane extracts derived from A. annua can modulate the course of necrotic enteritis and compensate to a certain extent for the disease-associated weight losses.

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World

“…reduced severity of necrotic lesions, lower levels of C. perfringens in the small intestine and lower mortality) compared to challenged, non-supplemented birds (McReynolds et al 2009). Similar conclusions were drawn by Engberg et al (2012). The authors carried out two experiments, in which the influence of increasing dietary concentrations of dried Artemisia annua leaves and n-hexane extract from fresh A. annua leaves on broiler performance was investigated.…”

Bioassay-Guided Chromatographic Isolation and Identification of Antibacterial Compounds from Artemisia annua L. That Inhibit Clostridium perfringens Growth

“…Damage from necrotic enteritis is controlled with ionophore antibiotics as a feed additive; however, the European Union wishes to withdraw these additives when alternatives are found (3). In our previous research we found that the n-hexane and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of the aerial parts of Artemisia annua inhibit the growth of C. perfringens, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 185 and 270 µg/mL, respectively (3).…”

“…Damage from necrotic enteritis is controlled with ionophore antibiotics as a feed additive; however, the European Union wishes to withdraw these additives when alternatives are found (3). In our previous research we found that the n-hexane and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of the aerial parts of Artemisia annua inhibit the growth of C. perfringens, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 185 and 270 µg/mL, respectively (3). In addition, in vivo testing of the n-hexane extract of A. annua given in broiler diet showed reduction in the population of C. perfringens and the severity of the associated lesions in the small intestine (P > 0.05) of broilers in a disease model for necrotic enteritis (3,4).…”

“…In our previous research we found that the n-hexane and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of the aerial parts of Artemisia annua inhibit the growth of C. perfringens, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 185 and 270 µg/mL, respectively (3). In addition, in vivo testing of the n-hexane extract of A. annua given in broiler diet showed reduction in the population of C. perfringens and the severity of the associated lesions in the small intestine (P > 0.05) of broilers in a disease model for necrotic enteritis (3,4). These results substantiate that extracts of A. annua contain bioactive compounds with activity against C. perfringens and that extracts of the plant may be used to treat and prevent necrotic enteritis in poultry.…”

“…A. annua also contains, besides artemisinin, other bioactive metabolites that have shown various bioactivities, including antibacterial (7,8). The antibacterial effect of A. annua extracts has been demonstrated on various bacterial strains such as Bacillus subtilis, C. perfringens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Staphylococcus aureus (3,7). The antibacterial effect of A. annua could be due to its essential oil components such as borneol, linalool, α-pinene, sabinene, camphene, α-terpineol, camphor, eugenol, and coumarin (8,9), which are known to have antibacterial effects (1,10,11).…”