Phytotherapeutic attenuation of patho-biochemical and oxidative alterations using Artemisia annua L. plant extract in experimentally induced E. coli (O101) infection in poultry birds

Abstract

The present experimental study was planned to investigate the effect of Artemisia annua (A. annua) against experimental E. coli (O101) organisms intraperitoneally in Delham Red (DR) chicks. In the experiment study, 300 day-old Delham Red (DR) birds were randomly divided into 6 groups. Group I acted as a control group, group II was given E. coli infection only, and groups III, IV, and V were administered with both E. coli and 70% aqua-ethanolic extract of A. annua at the dose rates of 500 mg, 1000 mg and 2000 mg/L water, respectively. The group VI was provided with 70% aqua-ethanolic extract of A. annua only at the dose rate of 2000 mg/L of water. E. coli (O101) infection was given to the birds intraperitoneally on the 7th day of age. The 70% aqua-ethanolic extract of A. annua was given in drinking water to birds from 0 days to day 14. The birds from each group were sacrificed at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days post-infection (DPI). The values of biochemical parameters such as ALT, AST and creatinine were increased, whereas concentrations of total protein and albumin were decreased in group II (E. coli infection only) as compared to group I (control group). However, the clinical signs and serum biochemical values in the groups III, IV and V were significantly lower in a dose-dependent manner as compared to group II (E. coli infection only). The gross pathology comprised fibrinous perihepatitis, fibrinous pericarditis, air sacculitis, splenomegaly and peritonitis with higher severity in group II, and there was a significant reduction in the gross lesions in groups III, IV and V in a dose-dependent manner. Microscopically, the liver and heart of group II showed severe perihepatitis, pericarditis, vacuolar changes, leukocytic infiltration, degenerative changes and enhanced cytoplasmic granularity. Similarly, in group II, the microscopic lesions in the spleen were characterized by reticuloendothelial cell hyperplasia and an increase in eosinophilic coagulum material. The microscopic lesions in the liver, heart, spleen and air sacs were of less severity in groups III, IV and V, which were attributed to the antibacterial effect of the plant extract used in the present study.