Pathomorphological studies on the effect of polyherbal feed supplement on certain vital organs of healthy and E.coli challenged broiler chicks

Present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of polyherbal formulation on cellular architecture of vital body organs of four groups broiler chicks (n=10). One group served as negative control and maintained on basal feed while chicks of other three groups were challenged with E. coli. One of the challenged groups served as positive control (basal feed) while chicks of other two groups were offered Herbiotic-FS or zinc bacitracin supplemented feeds @ 500 g/ton of feeds from day 7 onward. Birds of all the groups were sacrificed after seven weeks and liver, kidneys, spleen and bursa were collected for histopathological studies. Compared to liver of E. coli challenged control and bactracin-treated groups, Herbiotic-FS seemed to exert hepatoprotective effect as the cellular structures were almost comparable to those observed in control group. But nephrootoxic effect was more marked in polyherbal treated group. Cellular alterations in spleen and bursa revealed immunomodulatory potential of herbiotic-FS. Therefore, based on present study, it may not be unreasonable to infer that Herbiotic-FS possesses promising hepato-protective and immunomodulatory potential and seems to be a good substitute for the conventionally used antibacterial agent bacitracin. However, further studies are warranted on titration of dose and also changing its composition to reduce the risk of nephrotoxicity.