Novel Antioxidant Insights of Myricetin on the Performance of Broiler Chickens and Alleviating Experimental Infection with Eimeria spp.: Crosstalk between Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Antioxidants · 10 authors, 9 centres

AI SUMMARY

FIDELITY 100%

POPULATION500 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks (initial BW 44.2 ± 0.2 g)

INTERVENTIONDietary supplementation with myricetin at 200, 400, or 600 mg/kg diet

COMPARISONNegative control (basal diet, no challenge) and positive control (basal diet, challenged with Eimeria spp.)

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TL;DR

This study investigated the effects of dietary myricetin supplementation in broiler chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria spp. Myricetin at 600 mg/kg diet significantly improved growth performance, reduced fecal oocyst shedding and intestinal lesion scores, and enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. The findings suggest myricetin is a promising natural feed additive for controlling avian coccidiosis and improving poultry health.

Full summary

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**Background:** Avian coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria spp., is a major parasitic disease in poultry leading to oxidative stress, inflammation, and economic losses. Conventional anticoccidial drugs face resistance issues, prompting interest in natural alternatives. Myricetin, a flavonoid with known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has not been previously evaluated against avian coccidiosis. This study aimed to assess the effects of dietary myricetin on growth performance, antioxidant status, immune modulation, and anticoccidial efficacy in broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria spp.

**Methods:** Five hundred one-day-old male Ross 308 chicks (initial BW 44.2 ± 0.2 g) were randomly divided into five groups (5 replicates of 10 birds each): negative control (NC, basal diet, no challenge), infected control (IC, basal diet, challenged), and three myricetin-supplemented groups (Myc 200, Myc 400, Myc 600) receiving 200, 400, or 600 mg myricetin/kg diet, respectively, and challenged. At 14 days of age, challenged birds were gavaged with a suspension of sporulated oocysts from E. tenella (5.0 × 10^3), E. maxima (7.0 × 10^3), and E. acervulina (3.5 × 10^4). Growth performance was monitored over 42 days. Fecal oocyst counts were measured at 7, 14, and 21 days post-infection (dpi). Intestinal lesion scores were assessed at 7 dpi. Serum biomarkers (NO, CRP, MPO, IgG) were measured pre-infection and at 14 and 21 dpi. Oxidative/antioxidant biomarkers (T-AOC, MDA, ROS, H2O2) were evaluated in muscle and intestinal tissues at 42 days. Gene expression of antioxidant (CAT, SOD, GSH-Px, HO-1, NQO1), inflammatory (COX-2, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-10), chemokine (CCL4, CCL20, CXCL13), and defensin (AvBD6, AvBD12) genes was analyzed by RT-qPCR.

**Key Results:** Myricetin supplementation dose-dependently improved growth performance. Overall (0–42 d), final BW was significantly higher in Myc 600 (2496.67 g) and Myc 400 (2459.67 g) vs. IC (2145.67 g, p < 0.001). Overall FCR was best in NC (1.64) and Myc 600 (1.63), worst in IC (1.92, p < 0.001). Fecal oocyst counts at 21 dpi were significantly reduced in Myc 600 (34.80 × 10^3/g) vs. IC (74.20 × 10^3/g, p < 0.001). Intestinal lesion scores at 7 dpi were significantly lower in Myc 600 (cecal score 2.20) vs. IC (3.60, p < 0.001). Mortality at 7 dpi was highest in IC (18.00%) and lowest in Myc 600 (7.40%, p < 0.001). Serum IgG at 21 dpi was highest in Myc 600 (8.64 mg/dL) vs. IC (6.40 mg/dL, p < 0.001), while CRP, NO, and MPO were significantly reduced by myricetin. In muscle tissues, MDA was lowest in Myc 600 (16.20 nmol/g) vs. IC (21.69 nmol/g, p < 0.001), and T-AOC was highest in Myc 600 (3.35 U/mg) vs. IC (1.62 U/mg, p < 0.001). Myricetin upregulated antioxidant gene expression (CAT, SOD, GSH-Px, HO-1, NQO1) and downregulated COX-2, proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α), and chemokines (CCL4, CCL20, CXCL13), while upregulating IL-10, AvBD6, and AvBD12 expression in a dose-dependent manner.

**Clinical Implications:** Dietary myricetin, particularly at 600 mg/kg, effectively alleviated the negative impacts of experimental Eimeria spp. infection in broiler chickens by improving growth performance, reducing oocyst shedding and intestinal lesions, lowering mortality, and enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. These findings support myricetin as a promising natural feed additive for controlling avian coccidiosis, offering an alternative to conventional anticoccidial drugs. Further research is needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms and evaluate practical applications in poultry farming.

PICO

PPOPULATION

500 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks (initial BW 44.2 ± 0.2 g)

IINTERVENTION

Dietary supplementation with myricetin at 200, 400, or 600 mg/kg diet

OOUTCOME

Growth performance (BW, BWG, FI, FCR), fecal oocyst count, intestinal lesion score, mortality, serum inflammatory/immune biomarkers (NO, CRP, MPO, IgG), oxidative/antioxidant biomarkers (T-AOC, MDA, ROS, H2O2), and gene expression (antioxidant, cytokine, chemokine, defensin genes)

STUDY TYPE

RCT

SPECIALTY

veterinary medicine

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FIDELITY CHECK

100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10215077

Novel Antioxidant Insights of Myricetin on the Performance of Broiler Chickens and Alleviating Experimental Infection with Eimeria spp.: Crosstalk between Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Antioxidants

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ABSTRACT

Abstract In the modern poultry industry, the application of novel phytogenic bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential aims to enhance productivity and quality and to minimize the stress of associated diseases. Herein, myricetin, a natural flavonoid, was evaluated for the first time on broiler chickens’ performance, antioxidants and immune modulating functions, and tackling avian coccidiosis. A total of 500 one-day-old chicks were divided into five groups. The negative (NC) and infected control (IC) groups were fed a control diet without additives, and the latter was infected with Eimeria spp. Groups supplemented with myricetin (Myc) were fed a control diet of Myc (200, 400 and 600 mg/kg diet each). On d 14, all chicks except those in NC were challenged with oocysts of mixed Eimeria spp. Significant improvements in the overall growth rate and feed conversion ratio were detected in the group that was fed 600 mg/kg, unlike the IC group. Notably, groups that were fed 400 and 600 mg/kg showed higher total meat antioxidant capacity with an inverse reduction in oxidative and lipid peroxidation biomarkers (hydrogen peroxide: H 2 O 2 ; reactive oxygen species: ROS; Malondialdehyde: MDA). Of note, the upregulation of glutathione peroxidase; GSH-Px , catalase; CAT , superoxide dismutase; SOD , heme oxygenase-1; HO-1 and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1 NQO1 genes in jejunum and muscle were prominently observed with increasing levels of supplemental Myc. At 21 dpi, the severity of coccoidal lesions ( p < 0.05) induced by mixed Eimeria spp. and oocyst excretion were greatly reduced in the group that was fed 600 mg/kg of Myc. In the IC group, higher serum levels of C-reactive protein; CRP and nitric oxide; and NO and the upregulated expression of inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin-1β; IL-1β, interleukin-6; IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α; TNF-α, chemotactic cytokines; CCL20, stromal cell-derived factor-1; CXCL13, and avian defensins; AvBD612) were subsided in higher levels in the Myc-fed groups. Taken together, these findings indicate the promising antioxidant role of Myc in modulating immune responses and reducing growth depression associated with coccidia challenges. Keywords: myricetin, flavonoid, performance, antioxidant, inflammation, Eimeria spp.

CITATION EXPORT

Waleed Rizk El-Ghareeb, Asmaa T Y Kishawy, Reham G A Anter et al.. Novel Antioxidant Insights of Myricetin on the Performance of Broiler Chickens and Alleviating Experimental Infection with Eimeria spp.: Crosstalk between Oxidative Stress and Inflammation. Antioxidants. (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12051026

AUTHORS

10 · 9 CENTRES

Waleed Rizk El-Ghareeb, Asmaa T Y Kishawy, Reham G A Anter, Asmaa Aboelabbas Gouda, Walaa S Abdelaziz, Bassam Alhawas, Ahmed M A Meligy, Sherief M Abdel-Raheem, Hesham Ismail, Doaa Ibrahim

1Department of Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 400, Hofuf 31982, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
2Food Control Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
3Department of Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt
4Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt
5Avian and Rabbit Medicine Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt
6Department of Clinical Science, Central Lab, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 400, Hofuf 31982, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
7Department of Physiology, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza 12511, Egypt
8Department of Animal Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
9Food Hygiene Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt