Biochemical and Immunological Studies on the Effect of Echinacea Purpura in Broilers

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of feeding E.P on some biochemical and immunological parameters in broiler chicks. In this study, a total of 120 broilers were used and divided equally into 6 groups. Group (A) fed the normal basal diet. Group (B): were fed on commercial basal diet plus E.P at a dose rate of 0.25 gm / kg diet. Group (C): were fed on commercial basal diet plus E.P at a dose rate of 0.5 gm / kg diet. Group (D): fed the normal basal diet and challenged with E. coli O78 at 3 weeks old. Group (E): were fed on commercial basal diet plus E.P at a dose rate of 0.25 gm / kg diet and challenged with E.coli O78 at 3 weeks old. Group (F): were fed on commercial basal diet plus E.P at a dose rate of 0.5 gm / kg diet and challenged with E.coli 3 weeks old. Clinical signs, postmortem and mortality were recorded. Immune response and some biochemical parameters were measured. Serum total protein and globulin levels showed significance increase at 4th and 6th week in infected non-treated group. Albumin showed a decrease in the infected non-treated group at 6th week. ALT, AST, blood urea and creatinine levels showed increase in the infected non-treated groups at 4th & 6th week. Total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C revealed a decrease in their levels with increased serum HDL-C in broiler at 4th & 6th week in the treated and infected treated groups. MDA level showed decrease in the treated and infected treated groups, meanwhile, SOD and GSH levels showed increase in the treated and infected treated groups at both 4th & 6th week. Results of IL-1 & IL-6 showed increase in the treated and infected non-treated groups at 4th& 6th week. Concerning with IgG level it showed a non-significant change in all groups at the 4th week, and a significant increase in the treated and infected non-treated groups at 6th week. Meanwhile, IgM level, showed a non-significant changes in the treated groups with a significant increase in the infected non-treated group at both 4th and 6th week