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

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Plant extracts are one of the alternatives to antibiotics, and are generally considered to be safe for animals and effective against pathogens. Their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral activities have been well documented. Puerarin, the main component of pueraria extract, is a C-glucoside of isoflavone daidzein. Curcumin, isolated from the rhizome of curcuma, is a kind of polyphenol. The current study was carried out to examine the synergistic effects of pueraria extract and curcumin on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity and intestinal barriers of broilers. Our observations showed that supplementation of pueraria extract and curcumin alone or in combination did not improve the growth performance of broilers in the 28-day trial, but enhanced the antioxidant status and intestinal integrity of broilers by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes and promoting intestinal morphology. Pueraria extract and curcumin are potential modulators of antioxidant function and intestinal health. Their beneficial effects on improving growth performance need further investigation. 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 H(2)O(2) 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.