Vol. 8, Issue 4 (2019)

Author(s):
Priya K, Preethy John, Usha PTA, Kariyil BJ and Uma R

Abstract:
The study was aimed to investigate the protective effect of Eclipta prostrata leaf powder against oxidative stress on experimentally induced aflatoxicosis in broiler chicken. Sixty Cobb400 day old broiler chicks were randomly divided into six groups comprising 10 birds in each group. Aflatoxicosis was experimentally induced in all groups except T₁ and T₃ by giving 500 ppb of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) contaminated maize from eighth day of age onwards. The group T₁ was kept as normal control and T₂ as toxic control. T₃ was fed with E. prostata leaf powder at 0.2 per cent level. The leaf powder of E. prostrata was given to T₄, T₅ and T₆ at dose rates of 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 per cent respectively. On 42nd day all the birds were sacrificed, liver samples were collected and checked for its antioxidant status. Treatment with E. prostrata leaf powder revealed protection against oxidative stress caused by aflatoxicosis in dose dependent manner which is indicated by significant (P<0.05) increase in the level of reduced glutathione.