Effect of Adding Antifungal Herbal Extracts to Poultry Diets on Liver and Kidney Health

Background and Objective: Fungal infections and mycotoxin contamination in feed represent significant threats to poultry health and productivity. Such conditions can lead to hepatic and renal dysfunctions, reduced growth performance, and economic losses. The extensive use of chemical antifungal agents and antibiotics has raised concerns regarding drug resistance and residue accumulation in animal products. Therefore, identifying natural alternatives with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties is increasingly essential. Herbal extracts, containing biologically active compounds such as phenolics, terpenoids, and sulfur-containing molecules, exhibit notable antifungal and hepatoprotective effects (Carballo et al., ۲۰۱۹; Preedy, ۲۰۱۵). This study evaluated the influence of dietary supplementation with antifungal herbal extracts on liver and kidney functional indicators in broiler chickens. Methods: An experimental trial was conducted using ۱۲۰ male Ross ۳۰۸ broilers, randomly assigned to four equal groups: Control, Control + Extract A, Control + Extract B, and a mixture of Extracts A and B. The trial lasted six weeks. Serum biomarkers (ALT, AST, and urea) and histopathological lesion scores of liver and kidney were assessed to determine the extracts’ impact (Burt, ۲۰۰۴; Khosravi et al., ۲۰۱۸). Results: Both individual and combined extract treatments decreased liver and kidney lesion severity. The mixed-extract group demonstrated the most pronounced improvement. ANOVA showed significant differences among groups (p < ۰.۰۵). Conclusion: Antifungal herbal extracts, particularly when blended, effectively improved hepatic and renal health in broiler chickens. These findings align with earlier reports emphasizing herbal additives as promising alternatives to antibiotics (Windisch et al., ۲۰۰۸; Salehi et al., ۲۰۱۹).

کلیدواژه ها:

Herbal extract ، antifungal ، broiler chicken ، histopathology ، liver function ، kidney function