THE IN VIVO AND IN VITRO INFLUENCE OF SOME VEGETABLE EXTRACTS ON THE IMMUNOLOGICAL PROFILE IN CHICKENS

Abstract

Plant extracts are defined by their bioactive properties, thus providing the scientific basis for their use in various pathologies. The investigations were carried out on 28, 47-day-old broiler chickens (Rock x Cornish), divided into 4 equal groups treated orally for 7 days with: I –alcoholic extract of Calendula officinalis, 0.5 ml; II - Echinacea angustifolia, 0.5 ml; III - 70% alcohol, 0.5 ml; IV – untreated control. On days 0 and 7, the birds were antigenically stimulated with 0.5 ml of a 5% suspension of sheep red blood cells in saline, administered sc. Blood taken from all groups on days 0, 7 and 14 was processed by leukocyte counts (Natt-Herrick), evaluation of phagocytic activity (incorporation of carbon particles) and blast transformation test. Treatment with alcoholic extracts of C. officinalis and E. angustifolia did not significantly influence the total number of leukocytes during the experiment. The plant extracts used induced a stimulation of phagocytic activity for both extracts (Echinacea angustifolia: OD 0.157 ± 0.07 and Calendula officinalis: 0.152 ± 0.056 OD). Of the two plant extracts, only the Echinacea angustifolia extract (54.86% ± 7.76%) showed stimulating effects in the group treated in vivo with the same extract. Thus, plant taxonomy defined the immunological efficacy of the tested extract in chickens.