China Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (11): 5310-5325.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2025.11.027

• Preventive Veterinary Medicine • Previous Articles    

Therapeutic Effect of Vitex negundo L.var.cannabifolia Extract on Necrotic Enteritis in Broilers

HE Junheng1,2, TANG Xinggang1, BA Xiaomin1, HUANG Tianqi1, LI Yahui1, CHEN Chuanghua3, HUANG Baozhu3, CHEN Xiaoying2, XIANG Rong1   

  1. 1. Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Chinese Veterinary Medicine Engineering and Technology Research Center, Guangzhou 510640, China;
    2. School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China;
    3. Center for Agricultural Product Quality and Safety of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510230, China
  • Received:2025-05-21 Published:2025-10-30

Abstract: 【Objective】 The aim of this experiment was to study the therapeutic effect of Vitex negundo L.var.cannabifolia extract (VNE) on the growth performance,intestinal status,immune level,and inflammatory factors of broilers with necrotic enteritis (NE) infected by Clostridium perfringens (CP),and explore the therapeutic effect of VNE on NE in broilers. 【Method】 180 1-day-old Lingnan Yellow-feather broilers were selected and randomly divided into 6 groups,which were blank group (CON),model group (MOD),enramycin group (ENR) and low VNE group (L-VNE,4 g/(kg·d)),medium VNE group (M-VNE,8 g/(kg·d)) and high VNE group (H-VNE,12 g/(kg·d)),with 3 replicates in each group and 10 broilers in each replicate.The broilers were weighed at 21 and 28 days of age,and the average daily feed intake (ADFI),average daily gain(ADG),and feed to gain(F/G) was calculated.After the experiment,the broilers were sacrificed and samples were taken for analysis of intestinal status,immune indicators,and inflammatory factor levels. 【Result】 Compared with CON group,the weight of broilers at 21 and 28 days of age in MOD group was extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01),the F/G of broilers from 14 to 21 days of age was significantly increased (P<0.05),and the ADG,ADFI,and F/G of broilers from 22 to 28 days of age were extremely significant or significantly decreased (P<0.01 or P<0.05).The duodenal villus height (VH) of broilers at 21 and 28 days of age was extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01).The expression of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-8,TNF-α,and IL-1β) in intestinal tract of broilers at 28 days of age was extremely significantly increased (P<0.01),it indicated that the experimental model was successfully established as CP infection led to the occurrence of NE in broilers of MOD group fed on high protein fishmeal.Compared with MOD group,①Feeding VNE could extremely significantly increase the body weight of broilers at 21 and 28 days of age (P<0.01),the ADFI of broilers in M-VNE and H-VNE groups was increased,and F/G of broilers in each VNE group from 14 to 21 days of age was decreased,indicating that VNE could effectively alleviate the decline in growth performance of broilers caused by NE.②At 21 days of age,the spleen index of broilers in M-VNE and H-VNE groups was extremely significantly increased (P<0.01),and the thymus index of broilers in each VNE group were significantly or extremely significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01),suggesting that VNE had the efficacy to improve the immune organs of NE broilers.③At 21 and 28 days of age,the VH of duodenum,jejunum,and ileum in broilers of each VNE group increased to varying degrees,with significant or extremely significant increases in duodenum and jejunum (P<0.05 or P<0.01),indicating that VNE could alleviate intestinal damage in NE broilers.④The IgG concentration of broilers in H-VNE group at 21 days of age was extremely significantly increased (P<0.01),and the IgA concentration in each VNE group at 21 and 28 days of age was decreased,indicating that VNE could improve the immune function of NE broilers.⑤At 28 days of age,the expression of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-8,IL-17A,IL-1β,and TNF-α) in intestines of broilers in each VNE group were relatively decreased,indicating that VNE could alleviate intestinal inflammation in broilers caused by NE.The above results suggested that VNE had therapeutic effects on NE. 【Conclusion】 In this experiment,the addition of VNE to the feed could improve the immune function,growth performance,immune organ index,intestinal morphology and structure,and the expression of inflammatory factors in broilers with CP infection,in which 4 g/(kg·d) of VNE had a better therapeutic effect against CP.

Key words: Vitex negundo L.var.cannabifolia extract; Clostridium perfringens; necrotic enteritis; immunomodulation; intestinal health

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