Vol. 1, Issue 1, Part A (2019)

Abstract: The present study was conducted to evaluate and compare the impact of the use of anise oil, mint oil and their combination on some immunological parameters, antioxidant effect and histopathological changes in vaccinated and non-vaccinated chicken. A total of one hundred and sixty, day-old chicks were distributed into 8 equal groups (A-H).Control groups (A and B), anise oil as 400mg /kg diet (C and D), mint oil as 300 mg /Kg diet (E and F), mixture of anise and mint oil with the same previous dose (G and H). At 12 day of age half of groups (B, D, F and H) were vaccinated against Newcastle disease (ND) with IB+ND vaccine as eye drop. The result of immunological parameters showed a significant increase in titer of antibodies against Newcastle disease in vaccinated groups followed by non-vaccinated and treated groups in comparing with non-vaccinated control group. Concerning the weight of lymphoid organs, results showed non- significant changes in the weight of spleen at 3 and 6 weeks of age in all treated groups, Weight of bursa showed a significant increase in anise oil treated group with vaccination and anise + mint oil treated groups with vaccination in comparing with non- vaccinated control group at 6 weeks of age, Weight of thymus showed a significant increase in anise + mint oils treated groups with vaccination and anise oil treated group with vaccination at 3 weeks of age and showed a significant increase in anise oil treated group with vaccination and mint oil treated group with vaccination at 6 weeks of age. The results of IL-2 and IL-10 showed that there was a significant increase in all treated groups, while INF-γ level showed a significant decrease in all treated groups at 6 weeks of age. The results of lysozyme activity and nitric oxide showed a significant increase in their levels in vaccinated groups either treated or non- treated followed by oils treated groups without vaccination in comparing with non-vaccinated control group. The results of antioxidant effect showed that a significant increase in the level of GPX enzyme and a significant decrease in the level of MDA enzyme in anise + mint oils treated group with vaccination followed by other treated groups at 3 and 6 weeks of age. Histopathological results showed marked congestion in the hepatic vessels and mild degeneration in the hepatocyte in mint and anise oils treated groups, Kidney revealed interstitial edema and focal hemorrhage, some mononuclear lymphocyte infiltrated the necrotic epithelium in oils treated groups with vaccination, Lymphoid organs revealed marked proliferation of lymphocyte of peripherocentral zone of the lymphoid follicles with marked edema in oils treated groups with vaccination. The study concluded that combination of anise oil and mint oil has immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects in broilers.