Ameliorative effects of Withania somnifera, Azadirachta indica, Tinospora cordifolia and E care Se herbal preparations on chicken infectious anaemia virus induced haematological changes in chicks and their live body weights

Abstract

The present study was performed to evaluate the potential of four herbal preparations namely Withania somnifera, Tinospora cordifolia, Azadirachta indica and E Care Se Herbal against the haematological effects of chicken infectious anaemia virus (CIAV) in chicks and their live body weight gains. Briefly, six experimental groups (A to F), containing fifteen chicks each, were treated with herbal preparations separately from day old age.  The chicks of Groups A to D were fed with W. somnifera (1% pure extract), T. cordifolia (1% pure extract), A. indica (0.2% pure extract) and E Care Se Herbal (0.1% in drinking water), respectively, while groups E and F were kept as virus positive and control group, respectively. Groups A to E were given infection with 40 times 50% chicken infectious dose (CID₅₀) of CIAV A strain intra-muscularly on 14th day of age. Haematological parameters and body weight of the chicks of all the groups were recorded at weekly intervals for upto 10 weeks. The chicks of herbal treatment groups (A-D) showed significant improvement in their mean body weight gain and haematological indices viz., packed cell volume, haemoglobin level, total white blood cell, red blood cell and percentage lymphocyte counts, when compared with the virus infected group (E). In conclusion, the prophylactic/therapeutic application of these herbal preparations is suggested to combat depressed haematological parameters and stunted growth in chicks during CIAV infection. Further explorative studies would strengthen the potential role of herbs against this economically important avian pathogen causing huge economic losses to poultry farmers.