THE IMMUNOMODULATORY AND HISTOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF Nigella sativa SEEDS ON BROILER CHICKENS | ||||
| Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences | ||||
| Volume 22, Issue 3, December 2023, Page 317-340 PDF (574.89 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Full research articles | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jaesj.2024.210673.1092 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
Mohamed I. Hassan1; Saber Shihata Hassan  2
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| 1Livestock Research Department, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA- City), New Borg El-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt. | ||||
| 2Animal and Poultry Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| This study investigates the effects of dietary supplementation with Nigella sativa seeds (NSS) on immune parameters and the histological microscopic structure of lymphoid organs in Arbor Acres broiler chicks. A total of 140 unsexed one-day-old chicks were randomly assigned to four groups with seven replicates each. The control group received a basal diet without supplements, while the other groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with NSS at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%. The group supplemented with 0.5% NSS showed significantly higher white blood cell counts compared to other groups. The heterophil/ lymphocyte ratio was significantly elevated in the 0.5% NSS group. Plasma α-globulin concentration increased significantly in the 1.0% NSS group compared to the 0.5% group. Phagocytic activity was enhanced in all NSS-supplemented groups compared to the control. Bactericidal activity improved notably in the control, 1.0%, and 1.5% NSS groups. The lymphocyte transformation test concentration was significantly higher in the 1.0% NSS group. Haemagglutination inhibition against Newcastle disease virus was highest in the 1.0% NSS group. The weight of the bursa of Fabricius was significantly greater in the 1.0% and 1.5% NSS groups. Histologically, chicks fed with 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% NSS had significantly longer villi, and the 0.5% NSS group exhibited larger bursal follicular areas. In conclusion, incorporating 1.0% NSS into broiler diets positively influenced immune responses, lymphoid organs, hematological parameters, and improved organ health histologically. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| broiler; immune; histological; lymphoid; Nigella sativa | ||||
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