Effects of Pueraria Extract and Curcumin on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Status and Intestinal Integrity of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The current study was carried out to examine the effects of pueraria extract (PE) and curcumin (CUR) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity and intestinal integrity in broiler chickens. A complete randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was employed to assign 200 one-day-old Ross-308 broilers to four groups, each including five replicates of ten birds. Chickens in the control group (CON) were fed the basal diet, while the PE, CUR and PE+CUR groups were supplemented with 200 mg/kg PE or 200 mg/kg CUR or 200 mg/kg PE+ 200 mg/kg CUR. This trial lasted for 28 days. The PE supplementation decreased the average daily gain during the whole period (p < 0.05). The PE+CUR group had a higher feed conversion ratio than that of the PE and CUR groups during days 14–28 and 1–28 (p < 0.05). Dietary CUR supplementation increased duodenal T-SOD activity (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the other three groups increased the duodenal GSH-Px activity, the PE+CUR group reduced the duodenal H2O2 level, and the CUR and PE groups elevated the ileal GSH-Px activity and the ratio of jejunal villus height to crypt depth, respectively (p < 0.05). The addition of PE decreased crypt depth and increased villus area and mucin-2 mRNA level in the jejunum (p < 0.05). Overall, dietary supplementation with PE, CUR, or a combination of these, enhanced the antioxidant status and intestinal integrity of broilers.