The effects of rutin on growth performance, hematological and biochemical profiles, antioxidant capacity, economics and the relative expression of selected antioxidants and lipid-related genes were studied in broiler chickens over 42 days. A total of 200 one-day-old female Ross-308 broiler chickens were distributed into four groups, with five replicates of 10 individuals per replicate. They were fed with 0 (control), 0.25, 0.5 or 1 g rutin/kg supplementation in their basal diet. Dietary rutin supplementation, especially the 1 g/kg diet, increased body weight gain, the protein efficiency ratio (p < 0.001) and both white blood cell and lymphocyte counts (p < 0.001). However, it had no effect on total protein, albumin, globulin, or alanine transaminase. A high concentration of rutin (0.5 and 1 g/kg) also significantly reduced serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (p < 0.001), as well as malondialdehyde concentrations (p = 0.001). A high concentration diet also increased the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Of the lipid-related genes examined, acetyl CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase were significantly down-regulated in the livers of rutin-fed individuals, whereas carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha were significantly up-regulated. Therefore, rutin supplementation at 1 g/kg has the potential to improve the productive performance and health status of broiler chickens.
Keywords: antioxidant; broiler; growth performance; lipid expression; rutin.