Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Impact of drinking water supplementation of a blend of peppermint, coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), thyme, propolis, and prebiotic on performance, serum constituents, and immunocompetence of broiler chickens

  • Regular Articles
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Essential oils, extracts, their components, and other non-antibiotic beneficial additives are becoming increasingly popular as naturally occurring immunomodulatory agents. A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a blend (hereafter refers to as ImmunoMax (IMX)) of peppermint, coneflower, thyme, propolis, and prebiotic on performance, immune response, hematological indices, and serum biochemistry of broiler chickens. A total of 300 day-old broiler male chicks were randomly assigned to 4 treatments: control (A) (not treated), 0.25 mL/L (B), 0.5 mL/L (C), and 1 mL/L (D) supplementing drinking water with IMX on alternate days, starting at day 21. The results demonstrated a higher body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) in groups B, C, and D (P < 0.05) with no significant difference in FCR. The results also revealed a superior immune response to NDV, IB, and IBD (P < 0.05), albeit no constant linear response. The largest portion of the heterophil, the smallest amount of the lymphocyte, and therefore the highest heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (H:L) were observed in the control group, while the lowest ratio belonged to groups B and C (P < 0.05). Hemoglobin content, hematocrit, total number of red blood cells (RBC), and white blood cells (WBC) were also affected by IMX, showing a significant rise compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Administering 0.25 mL/L of IMX resulted a higher thigh and breast yield as well as the smallest amount of abdominal fat (P < 0.05). The serum content of total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) was superior in groups receiving 0.25 and 0.5 mL/L of IMX; these treatments also yielded an inferior content of glucose (GLU), triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (CHOL), LDL, and VLDL, in addition to causing the highest content of HDL (P < 0.05). The results obtained in this study revealed the immunomodulatory efficacy of a standardized natural multidrug, IMX, thereby improving the performance and carcass yield of modern broiler chickens with the optimal dosages of 0.25 and 0.5 mL/L.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All data is included in the text; however, the raw data of this article will be made available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  • Abbas, A.O., Alaqil, A.A., El-Beltagi, H.S., El-Atty, A., Hanaa, K., Kamel, N.N. 2020. Modulating laying hens productivity and immune performance in response to oxidative stress induced by E. coli challenge using dietary propolis supplementation. Antioxidants 9: 893. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9090893

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alemi, M., Samadi, F., Samadi, S. 2015. Effect of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) leaf powder and vitamin E on performance and some blood parameters of meat type Japanese quail. Journal of Animal Production 16:147–155. https://doi.org/10.22059/jap.2014.52788.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alemi, M., Samadi, F., Dastar, B., Hasani, S. 2017. Effect of different levels Artichoke and vitamin E on humoral immunity in Japanese quail. Journal of Animal Environment. 9: 113–118. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.27171388.1396.9.4.15.7

  • Behboodi, H. R., Sedaghat, A., Baradaran, A., Haghbin Nazarpak. H. 2021a. The effects of the mixture of betaine, vitamin C, St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), lavender, and Melissa officinalis on performance and some physiological parameters in broiler chickens exposed to heat stress. Poultry Science. 100: 101344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2021.101344.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Behboodi, H., Alemi, M., Baradaran, A. 2021b. Urtica dioica extract—suitable dietary supplement influencing the growth body characteristics, antioxidant status, and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. Comparative Clinical Pathology. 30: 913-920. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-021-03286-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chegini, S., Kiani, A., Parizadian Kavan, B., and Rokni, H. 2019. Effects of propolis and stocking density on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and immune system of heat-stressed broilers. Italian Journal Animal Science. 18: 868-876. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2018.1483750.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Courtin, C.M., Swennen, K., Broekaert, W.F., Swennen, Q., Buyse, J., Decuypere, E., Michiels, C.W., De Ketelaere, B. and Delcour, J.A. 2008. Effects of dietary inclusion of xylooligo-saccharides, arabinoxylooligosaccha-rides and soluble arabinoxylan on the microbial composition of caecal contents of chickens. Journal Science Food Agriculture., 88: 2517-2522. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.3373.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Paepe, K., Kerckhof, F.-M., Verspreet, J., Courtin, C.M. and Van de Wiele, T., 2017. Inter-individual differences determine the outcome of wheat bran colonization by the human gut microbiome. Environ Microbiol, 19: 3251-3267. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.13819.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Di Sotto, A., Vitalone, A., Di Giacomo, S., 2020. Plant-derived nutraceuticals and immune system modulation: an evidence-based overview. Vaccines 8: 468. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8030468.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Enany, M., Algammal, A.E.A., Solimane, R., El Sissi, A., Hebashy, A., 2017. Evaluation of Echinacea immunomodulatory effect on the immune response of broiler chickens. Suez Canal Veterinary Medical Journal. 22: 119-134. https://doi.org/10.21608/scvmj.2017.62449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feizi, A., Dadian, F., 2012. The effects of Echinacea purpurea dried extract on humoral immune response of broiler chicks to Newcastle vaccination. African Journal Biotechnology. 11: 16095-16098. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJB12.2438.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Friedewald, W.T., Ley, R.I., Fradrickson, D.S. 1972. Estimation of low density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma without the use of preparative ultracentrifuge. Clinical Chemistry. 18: 499-502

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, G.R., Hutkins, R., Sanders, M. E. Prescott, S. L., Reimer, R. A., Salminen, S. J., Scott, K., Stanton, C., Swanson, K. S., Cani, P. D., and Verbeke, K. 2017. Expert consensus document: The international scientific association for probiotics and prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 14: 491-502. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-021-00440-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Habibian Dehkordi, S, Fallah, V., Habibian Dehkordi, S. 2011. Enhancement of broiler performance and immune response by Echinacea purpurea supplemented in diet. African Journal Biotechnology. 10: 11280-11286. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJB11.1484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haro, A., Lopez-Aliag, I., Lisbona, F., Barrionuevo, M., Alferez., M. J. M. and Campos, M. S. 2000. Beneficial effect of pollen and/or propolis on the metabolism of iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in rats with nutritional ferropenic anemia. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 48: 5715-5722.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hasanzadeh, M., Tolouei, T., Nikbakht, G., Alkaragoly, H., Rezaei Far, A., Ghahri, H. 2017. Efficacy of Echinacea purpurea and protexin on systemic and mucosal immune response to Newcastle diseases virus vaccination (VG/GA strain) in commercial turkey poults. Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine. 11: 85-95. https://doi.org/10.22059/ijvm.2017.60684.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haščík, P., Elimam, I. O, Kročko, M., Bobko, M., Kačániová, M., Garlík, J., Šimko, M., and Saleh, A. A. 2015. The Influence Of Propolis As Supplement DietOn Broiler Meat Growth Performance, Carcass Body Weight,Chemical Composition And Lipid Oxidation Stability. ActaUniversitatis Agriculturae Et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis. 63(2): 411-418. https://doi.org/10.11118/actaun201563020411.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hashemipour, H., Kermanshahi, H., Golian, A., Veldkamp, T. 2013. Effect of thymol and carvacrol feed supplementation on performance, antioxidant enzyme activities, fatty acid composition, digestive enzyme activities, and immune response in broiler chickens. Poultry Science. 92: 2059-2069. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2012-02685.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hassan, M.G., Abdullah, T.A. 2020. The effect of propolis addition to broiler feeds on some blood biochemical parameters and intestinal flora. Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences. 34: 29-35. https://doi.org/10.33899/ijvs.2019.125483.1015.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hosseini, E., Grootaert, C., Verstraete, W., Van de Wiele, T. 2011. Propionate as a health-promoting microbial metabolite in the human gut, Nutrition Reviews, 69: 245-258. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00388.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahim, M.K., Al-jebory, H.H.D. 2020. Study of the effect of bee propolis on some biochemical, immunological traits and intestinal microflora of broiler chickens (Ross 308), in: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. IOP Publishing, p. 12022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/553/1/012022.

  • Kececi, T., Oguz, H., Kurtoglu, V., Demet, O. 1998. Effects of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, synthetic zeolite and bentonite on serum biochemical and haematological characters of broiler chickens during aflatoxicosis. British Poultry Science. 39: 452-458. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071669889051.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khodadust, M., Asadi, G. 2015. Effects of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) alcoholic extract on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in broiler chickens under heat stress condition. Poultry Science Journal. 3: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.22069/psj.2015.2323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, S.D., Song, M.H., Yun, W., Lee, J.H., Kim, H.B., Cho, J.H. 2019. Effect of carvacrol essential oils on immune response and inflammation-related genes expression in broilers challenged by lipopolysaccharide. Poultry Science 98: 2026-2033. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pey575.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mehri, M., Sabaghi, V., Bagherzadeh-Kasmani, F. 2015. Mentha piperita (peppermint) in growing Japanese quails’ diet: Serum biochemistry, meat quality, humoral immunity. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 206: 57-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.05.022.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nabizadeh A. 2012. The effect of inulin on broiler chicken intestinal microflora, gut morphology, and performance. Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences. 21(4):725-734. https://doi.org/10.22358/jafs/66144/2012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Narimanian, M., Badalyan, M., Panosyan, V., Gabrielyan, E., Panossian, A., Wikman, G., Wagner, H. 2005. Randomized trial of a fixed combination (KanJang®) of herbal extracts containing Adhatoda vasica, Echinacea purpurea and Eleutherococcus senticosus in patients with upper respiratory tract infections. Phytomedicine. 12: 539-547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2004.10.001.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paraskeuas, V., Fegeros, K., Hunger, C., Theodorou, G., Mountzouris, K.C. 2016. Dietary inclusion level effects of a phytogenic characterised by menthol and anethole on broiler growth performance, biochemical parameters including total antioxidant capacity and gene expression of immune-related biomarkers. Animal Production Science. 57: 33-41. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15367.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahimi, S., Teymouri Zadeh, Z., Karimi Torshizi, M. a., Omidbaigi, R., Rokni, H. 2011. Effect of the three herbal extracts on growth performance, immune system, blood factors and intestinal selected bacterial population in broiler chickens. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology. 13: 527-539.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saleh, A., Amber, K., El-Magd, M. A., Atta, M. S., Mohammed, A. A. Ragab M. M. and El-Kader H. A. 2014a. Integrative effects of feeding Aspergillus awamori and fructooligosaccharide on growth performance and digestibility in broilers: Promotion muscle protein metabolism. BioMed Research International. 946859, 8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/946859

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saleh, A., Ijiri, D. and Ohtsuka, A. 2014b. Effects of summer shield supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilisation, and plasma lipid profiles in broiler chickens. Veterinarni Medicina, 59: 536-542. https://doi.org/10.17221/7818-VETMED.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saleh, A. A, Ebeid, T. A., Abudabos, A. M. 2018. Effect of dietary phytogenics (herbal mixture) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization, antioxidative properties, and immune response in broilers. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 25(15): 14606-14613. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1685-z.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute. 2014. SAS System for Windows. Version 9.4. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.

  • Sedaghat, A. and Karimi Torshizi, M.A. 2017. Immune responses, intestinal microbiota, performance and blood characteristics of Japanese quail fed on diets containing camphor. Animal 11: 2139-2146. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1751731117001148.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, M., Raza, S.H.A., Wu, Q., Xue, C., Liu, J., Zhang, L., Zhang, W., Wang, A., Wu, H. 2020. Cichoric acid from extracted Echinacea purpurea induces the proliferation and apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from yaks. Electronic Journal of Biotechnology. 47: 17-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2020.06.003.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yarmohammadi Barbarestani, S., Samadi, F., Hassani, S., Asadi, G. 2017. Effects of encapsulated nano-and microparticles of peppermint (Mentha piperita) alcoholic extract on the growth performance, blood parameters and immune function of broilers under heat stress condition. Iranian Journal of Applied Animal Science. 7: 669-677.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the Research and Development Department of Kianpharmino in Amol, Mazandaran, Iran.

Funding

This work was supported by Kianpharmino Group Co.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Animal Science, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Shahid Beheshti Ave, Gorgan, Iran

    Hamid Reza Behboodi, Morteza Alemi & Atefeh Baradaran

  2. Research and Development Department, Kianpharmino Group Co, Amol, Mazandaran, Iran

    Hamid Reza Behboodi, Davood Hosseini, Asadollah Salarieh, Mahmood Gholampour, Masoud Panahi, Atefeh Baradaran & Hadi Haghbin Nazarpak

  3. Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gramsar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Garmasar, Iran

    Hadi Haghbin Nazarpak

Authors
  1. Hamid Reza Behboodi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Davood Hosseini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Asadollah Salarieh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mahmood Gholampour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Masoud Panahi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Morteza Alemi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Atefeh Baradaran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Hadi Haghbin Nazarpak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Hamidreza Behboodi performed the experiments, analyzed the data, formulated the IMX, and wrote the manuscript. Davood Hosseini supervised the study. Asadollah Salarieh formulated the IMX. Mahmood Gholampour and Masoud Panahi helped analyze the data and discussed the data. Morteza Alemi analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. Atefeh Baradaran performed the experiments and analyzed the data. Hadi Haghbin Nazarpak edited the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hamid Reza Behboodi.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.

Consent to participate

All authors agreed to share this manuscript.

Consent for publication

All authors agreed to the publication of this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Behboodi, H.R., Hosseini, D., Salarieh, A. et al. Impact of drinking water supplementation of a blend of peppermint, coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), thyme, propolis, and prebiotic on performance, serum constituents, and immunocompetence of broiler chickens. Trop Anim Health Prod 54, 289 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022-03274-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022-03274-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation