Murugesan, S.Arivuchelvan, A.TANUVAS2016-07-262016-07-262011http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/69937Antibiotics are highly used in poultry industry to treat infections and also for growth promotion. Indiscriminate use of antibiotic especially gentamicin and enrofloxacin are commonly used in poultry may lead to nephrotoxicity and chondrotoxicity respectively. The trend of using natural resources is on the increase not only for treatment of ailments but also to counteract the adverse effects of drugs and toxicants. Hence, this study was envisaged to explore the possible protective effects of Ocimum sanctum and Withania somnifera on the adverse effects of gentamicin and enrofloxacin respectively. In the present study two trials were conducted with two hundred and seventy straight run broiler chicks of Vencob strain for each trial. The birds were reared from day one with ad libitum feed and water. In each trial there were three replicates. Each replicate had nine treatments consisting of ten birds per treatment. In the first trial, group T1 was normal control with regular feed. Groups T2 and T3 were gentamicin controls and receiving normal feed. Groups T4 and T5 were Ocimum sanctum control receiving plant extracts mixed with feed. Groups T6 to T9 were treatment groups receiving both the drug and plant extract. Gentamicin was administered as single intramuscular injection on 15th day at 30mg/kg to groups T2, T6 and T8 and 50mg/kg to groups T3, T7 and T9. Inclusion of Ocimum sanctum was at 1% level in feed to groups T4, T6 and T7 and that 2% level to groups T5, T8 and T9. Similar groupings were followed in second trial with enrofloxacin at 30mg/kg and 40mg/kg, and Withania somnifera at 1% and 2% inclusion levels of feed. Enrofloxacin was administered through drinking water from 15th day to 21st day. All the groups were vaccinated against Newcastle viral disease on day 7 and day 21, using LaSota strain as intra ocular drops. Body weight and feed consumption were recorded at weekly interval. Blood was collected at the end of second, fourth and sixth weeks for biochemical and immunological analysis. At the end of fourth week and sixth week the birds were slaughtered and gross pathology of organs was observed. Liver, kidney and bone samples were collected for histopathological analysis. The body weight of gentamicin control was significantly decreased at the end of third and fourth week and reversed back to normal from fifth week. Supplementation of Ocimum sanctum significantly protected the gentamicin induced weight loss in a dose dependent manner. Feed intake was normal in all the groups throughout the study period. Serum total protein, albumin and globulin level were significantly reduced in gentamicin control at the end of fourth week. Treatment with Ocimum sanctum showed dose dependent significant increase in serum proteins. Serum ALT, AST levels were significantly increased in gentamicin control which was also reversed by Ocimum sanctum. Gentamicin induced decrease in serum sodium and potassium were normalized by Ocimum sanctum treatment. Serum lipid peroxidation was significantly increased, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase level in kidney were significantly decreased by gentamicin. The antioxidant enzyme levels were reversed to normal by inclusion of Ocimum sanctum. Increased serum uric acid and creatinine level in gentamicin control was significantly reduced by Ocimum sanctum treatment. HI titre was normal in all the groups. Gross pathology of kidney from gentamicin control showed mild to moderate congestion with multifocal haemorrhages in a dose dependent manner. The kidney of Ocimum sanctum treatment was comparable to that of control. Histopathological changes like necrosis of tubular epithelium, detachment of epithelial cells produced by gentamicin were brought to normal by Ocimum sanctum. In the second trial, body weight of enrofloxacin control group showed significant decrease at the end of third, fourth and fifth week. Withania somnifera treated groups showed dose dependant reversal of body weight to that of normal control. The serum total protein, albumin and globulin levels showed significant reduction in enrofloxacin control group that was reversed to normal by the addition of Withania somnifera in dose dependent manner at the end of the fourth week itself. Serum aspartate aminotransferase level showed increased trend in enrofloxacin control group, which was normalized by supplementation of Withania somnifera. Lipid peroxidation, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase levels were within normal throughout study period in all the groups. Serum potassium level was brought back to normal in plant treated groups at the end of fourth week and serum sodium level was not much altered. Serum calcium level was significantly reduced in enrofloxacin treated group and Withania somnifera treated groups provided dose dependant protection. HI titre against Newcastle disease virus was increased in Withania somnifera control group and low dose of enrofloxacin group compared to other groups. Histopathology of Withania somnifera treated groups showed significant protection from chondrocyte damage induced by enrofloxacin, and showed the regenerating capacity of chondrocytes and reduced the articular surface erosion. It is concluded that co-administration of Ocimum sanctum and Withania somnifera along with gentamicin and enrofloxacin reduces the intensity of adverse effects of the antibacterials.enThesis