Effect of phytosome complex of phosphatidylcholine and silymarin on broiler growth performance and carcass traits in broilers

Introduction

With increased ongoing world requirement for lean protein, poultry stands out to be prime source for meeting this high demand [1] . High performance hybrid birds are fed dense feed to perform up to its limits but this can easily lead to the development of fatty liver [2] . Choline and phosphatidylcholine (PC) are known to prevent fatty liver in NAFLD [3] . Broilers are mainly fed with corn-soya diet to provide nutritional requirement. Soya doc rich in protein contains approx. 2640 mg/kg of choline sources and corn contains approx. 506mg/kg of phosphatidylcholine [4] . However digestibility of this source often varies depending on source, season and quality leading to large variation of digestible choline content. Herbal interventions are often helpful in increasing the actual choline conjugates (mainly Phosphatidylcholine, Phosphocholine, Sphingomyelin, acetycholine and free choline moiety) [5] . Phosphatidyl choline is the most prominent form of choline conjugate or derivative accounting more than 95% of total choline in tissues [6] . Herbs are often extracted with water or solvents or through supercritical fluid to produce PC enrich extracts for use as feed additive.

Silymarin, a member of Carduus marianum family is a potent hepatoprotective agent in poultry industry. Silymarin is the active component of this herb, which is a complex of other components, mainly silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A, isosilybin B and also other flavonolignants such as silychristin, neosilyhermin, silyhermin and silydianin which exists in its fruit and seeds more than the other parts. The mode of action by which silymarin might protect liver cells includes stabilisation of membranes, free radical scavenging, stimulation of hepatocyte protein synthesis and modulation of the immune response. In addition, silymarin can be used to treat jaundice disorders by ameliorating the levels of various hepatic enzymes such as Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP). Moreover, silymarin is able to moderate the immune system, by boosting IL-4, IFN-γ, and IL-10 [7] . Combination of silymarin and choline is often used in different dosage form to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) [8] . Comparative efficacy of silymarin and choline chloride in alleviating effect of Aflatoxin B1 has been reported [9] . Giannetto et al. reported the Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effect of silymarin phytosome complex along with choline chloride, l-cystine, antichoke extract and vitamin E in dogs [9] . Phytosomes formation is a novel emerging technology in Phytomedicne. Most of the phytochemicals in silymarin are flavonoids, which are poorly absorbed [10] . Water-soluble flavonoid molecules can be converted into lipid-compatible molecular complexes called Phytosomes. Phytosomes are able to transits to lipid-friendly environment of enterocytes cell membrane and from there into cell, finally reaching the blood. Soya Phosphatidylcholine a lipid compatible substance forms phytosome complex with Silymarin flavonoids to give a phytosome, a hybrid molecule that is more bioavailable. Silybin-phosphatidycholine complex on one hand protect the liver by conserving glutathione in the parenchymal cells and on other hand, helps repair and replace cell membrane [11] . Haddad and colleagues evaluated the effects of an oral administration of silibinin-phosphatidylcholine complex (silibinin 200 mg/kg) given to HFD-fed rats in controlling NASH [12] . There is no prominent study on effect of Silymarin-phosphatidylcholine Phytosome complex on broiler growth performance and carcass traits. Therefore, a study is conducted to evaluate the effect of polyherbal formulation containing Silymarin-phosphatidylcholine Phytosome complex on broiler performance and various carcass traits.

Materials and Methods Experimental Design and Diets

The present experiment was conducted during the month of October to November, 2019 at Poultry Advisory and Technical Service Farms, Sohana, Gurgaon, Haryana, India. A total of 360 day old Vencobb-430 broiler chicks belonging to single hatch were purchased from local hatchery, wing banded, weighed and randomly distributed into on the basis of Live Weight (LW) in pens on litter following a completely randomized design. A single pen measured 1.2 m x 1.2 m and each of the pens was equipped with individual feeders and drinkers. There were three treatments with six replicates of twenty chicks each. Feed and water were provided ad libitum for all the chicks. Lighting was given continuously for 24 h during the first 7 days followed by 20 h a day till the termination of the experiment. Temperature in the room was maintained around 30-32 o C with the help of gas brooders during the first 7 days of the experiment. Daily temperature and relative humidity was measured at hourly intervals with the help of data loggers installed at 4 corners of the room. The recordings of 24 h period were pooled together, and the daily maximum, minimum and mean temperature and relative humidity values were recorded. All the chicks were reared under standard managerial conditions throughout the experimental period in deep litter system. Iso nitrogenous experimental diets were prepared (Table 1) as per Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS, 2007) [4] . Three treatments were planned. Chicks were offered (i) T 0basal diet without choline supplementation (ii) T 1 -basal diet supplemented with herbal formulation containing natural choline supplement at the rate of 500g per MT of feed (iii) T 2basal diet supplemented with herbal formulation containing natural choline and silymarin phytosome complex supplement at the rate of 500g per MT of feed.

Determination of Growth Performance

Cumulative Body weight of chicks and cumulative feed consumption were recorded weekly for each pen and mean feed conversion ratio was calculated.

Determination of Carcass traits

At the end of 42 days, two birds from each pen having BW close to the pen average was selected (12 birds each from each of the dietary treatments). The birds were mechanically stunned, manually slaughtered, and bled out, scalded (at 55℃ with intermittent dipping for 20 seconds at a time) and picked up using a de-feathering equipment. The carcass was then manually eviscerated and rinsed. Chilling was not performed, and all measurements were done with hot carcass only.

Dressing percentage was determined a percentage ratio of carcass weight and live weight. After sectioning into various commercial cuts breast and drumstick percentage weight was expressed relative to carcass weight. Additionally abdomen fat was weighed and its ratio to slaughter weight was calculated.

Statistical Analysis

Data were analysed using completely randomized design with one way analysis of variance as per the procedures of Snedecor and Cochran (1989) using statistical analysis software (IBM SPSS version 20.0 for windows).

Results and Discussion

Growth performance

The mean cumulative body weight is given in Table 2. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in cumulative body weight between treatment groups in all weeks of age except in first and second week of age. Feed containing herbal formulation of Silymarin-Phytosome complex (T 2 ) showed significantly higher body weight than T 0 and T 1 groups from 2 nd to 6 th weeks. The cumulative body weight of T 1 group is lower than T 0 in 5 th and 6 th week which indicates that T 1 natural choline source used may be having variations in sourced herbs. At 6 th week of age highest cumulative body weight was recorded in T 2 group (2699g) followed by T 0 group (2613g) and T 1 group (2586 g). Results of this experiment agreed with Gabriel, et al. (2022) who revealed that the addition of herbal additive with natural choline and silymarin shows significant average final weight at finisher stage The mean cumulative feed intake was initially less for comparable in all treatments. After 4 th week, there is significant increase in feed intake. T 2 has highest feed intake followed by T 0 and T 1 . High feed intake of T 2 can be due to effect of Phosphatidylcholine-silymarin complex and enriched herbs extracts on digestibility. The feed conversion ratio of T 2 group (1.44±0.02) is the best among all groups followed by T 1 (1.47±0.02) and T 0 (1.49±0.03). Results further reinforce that bird's performance is enhanced by feed containing herbal formulation of Phosphatidylcholine -Silymarin phytosome complex (T 2 ).

Carcass traits

The effects of supplementing herbal formulation containing natural choline and silymarin phytosome complex on carcass parameters are given in Table 5. The data revealed that there is no significant difference (p>0.05) noticed in dressing percentage, breast meat percentage and drumstick percentage and abdominal fat percentage among treatment groups. Numerically Similar dressing percentage was noticed in T 2 (63±0.03) and T 1 group (63±0.01) followed by T 0 group (61±0.03). Breast meat percentage is highest among T 2 (25.02±0.01). Drumstick percentage is almost similar in all groups. Abdomen fat% is lowest in T 2 (1.25±0.03) and highest in T 1 (1.35±0.02).Similarly, results were observed by Ramalho et al. [13] (2024).

Conclusion

The results shows that herbal formulation containing phytosome complex of choline and Silymarin has prominent effect over using herbal formulation with only natural phosphatidylcholine source. It improved bird's growth performance and yield better or almost similar carcass traits due to its better bioavailability.

References

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