Effect of Dietary Salicin Standardized Extract from Salix alba Bark on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers and Intestinal Microflora of Broiler Chickens Exposed to Heat Stress

Mihaela Saracila (), Tatiana Dumitra Panaite, Nicoleta Corina Predescu, Arabela Elena Untea and Petru Alexandru Vlaicu
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Mihaela Saracila: Food and Feed Quality Department, National Research and Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition, 077015 Balotesti, IF, Romania
Tatiana Dumitra Panaite: Nutrition Physiology Department, National Research and Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition, 077015 Balotesti, IF, Romania
Nicoleta Corina Predescu: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 105 Splaiul Independentei, District 5, 050097 Bucharest, IF, Romania
Arabela Elena Untea: Food and Feed Quality Department, National Research and Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition, 077015 Balotesti, IF, Romania
Petru Alexandru Vlaicu: Food and Feed Quality Department, National Research and Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition, 077015 Balotesti, IF, Romania

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: The implication of heat stress (HS) in the oxidative stress phenomenon and its related diseases in chickens has been widely reported. Salicin is a precursor for the synthesis of salicylic acid and aspirin obtained from the bark of Salix alba, with an undeniable anti-inflammatory effect. However, little attention has been paid to salicin’s antioxidant/oxidative stress-reducing effect compared to its well-known anti-inflammatory effect. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of dietary salicin standardized extract from Salix alba bark (SAB) on oxidative stress biomarkers and intestinal microflora of broiler chickens exposed to heat stress. In our study, chickens (14 days) were randomly allocated to three treatment groups (SAB0; SAB25; SAB50), each of which included five replicates with eight birds per replicate. Broilers were exposed to heat stress (32 ± 2 °C) between 14 and 42 days. The liver tissues were collected to analyze oxidative stress biomarkers (total antioxidant capacity, glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase). The intestinal content was collected and measurements of the intestinal microbial population were performed ( E. coli, staphylococci, lactobacilli). Results indicated that liver malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls activity decreased ( p < 0.05) in SAB50 treatment concomitantly with linearly increased total antioxidant capacity, and glutathione concentration. Dietary supplementation with SAB reduced ( p < 0.05) the abundance of staphylococci and increased the number of lactobacilli. Taken together, SAB possesses an advantageous effect on liver oxidative status and the balance of intestinal microflora in broilers exposed to heat stress. These findings provide new insight into the potential use of salicin standardized extract from Salix alba bark for liver damage prevention and dysbiosis related to heat stress.

Keywords: broiler chicken; salicin; Salix alba bark; heat stress; oxidative stress; microbiota (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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