Effects of Dangguibuxue Tang, a Chinese herbal medicine, on growth performance and immune responses in broiler chicks

Biol Res. 2013;46(2):183-8. doi: 10.4067/S0716-97602013000200010.

Abstract

The effects of Dangguibuxue Tang (DBT) on growth performance and immunity response in immunosuppressed broiler chicks were investigated in this study. 240 one-d-old broiler chicks (DaHeng S01) were randomly divided into 4 groups, 2.0% DBT-treatment (A), 0.5% DBT-treatment (B), cyclophosphamide-control (C), and control group (D). From 4 d to 7 d of age, chicks in group A, B and C were given cyclophosphamide (CY) at a dosage of 100mg/kg body weight (BW) daily by intraperitoneal injection to induce immunosuppression. Chicks in group D were given an equal volume of physiological saline daily by intraperitoneal injection and considered normal chicks. Groups A and B were supplemented with 2.0% or 0.5% of DBT in the drinking water from 8 d to 42 d of age. Groups C and D did not receive any additional medication. The results revealed that chicks from group B had lower feed:gain rate (FGR), lower total mortality, higher immunity organ indexes, higher levels of Newcastle disease (ND) antibody and infectious bursal disease (IBD) antibody, higher interleukin-2 and interleukin-6 levels, and greater lymphocyte proliferative responses to concanavalin A (ConA) during the experiment than those from group C. However, no significant difference in the immunity status in the two levels of DBT-treatment was observed. These results indicate that supplementation of 0.5% of DBT can improve both cellular immunity and humoral immunity in immunosuppressed broiler chicks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angelica sinensis
  • Animals
  • Astragalus Plant
  • Birnaviridae Infections / immunology
  • Birnaviridae Infections / veterinary*
  • Chickens* / growth & development
  • Chickens* / immunology
  • Cyclophosphamide / pharmacology
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Immunosuppression Therapy / methods
  • Immunosuppression Therapy / veterinary
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology
  • Infectious bursal disease virus / immunology*
  • Interleukin-2 / blood
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Newcastle Disease / immunology*
  • Random Allocation

Substances

  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-6
  • danggui buxue decoction
  • Cyclophosphamide