Biochemical and Histopathological Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Nigella sativa and Mentha piperita Oils to Broilers

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the biochemical and histopathological effects of dietary supplementation of Nigella sativa and Mentha piperita oils to broilers for 6 weeks. A total 80 unsexed one day old Cobb broiler chicks was obtained from Cairo Company with average body weight 55g were used .The chicks were taken and randomly allocated into 4 equal groups (20 each) named control, Nigella sativa oil treated group, Mentha piperita oil treated group and Nigella sativa + Mentha piperita oils treated group. Serum samples and tissue samples (liver and kidney) were obtained at 21 and 42 days old for some serum biochemical analysis (ALT, AST and ALP activities; creatinine, Urea, Total protein and Albumin levels) and histopathological examination (Liver and Kidney processed slide sections). The obtained results indicated that dietary supplementation of broilers diet with Nigella sativa, Mentha piperita and their combination for long period (6 weeks) couldn’t alter liver and kidney functions as cleared from biochemical findings but could caused slight hepatic and renal histopathological changes as showed from histopathological examination.