Hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effect of Artemisia nilagirica leaf extract on E. coli challenged broiler chicken

<i>Artemisia nilagirica</i> is an important medicinal plant found to exhibit several medicinal properties but the use of its leaves for combating <i>E. coli</i> infection has not been scientifically validated in poultry. The present study was conducted to evaluate the protective effects of methanol leaf extract of <i>A. nilagirica</i> (ANE) on <i>E. coli</i> challenged broiler chickens. Three hundred and thirty, day-old broiler chickens, were divided into 6 groups of 55 each, with group EX infected intraperitoneally (I/P) with LD₅₀ dose of 1 × 10⁷ cfu/ml of <i>E. coli</i>; group(s) EA1, EA2 and EA3 infected I/P with 1 × 10⁷ cfu/ml of <i>E. coli</i> and supplemented with ANE @ 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/L of drinking water, respectively; group AX were only given ANE @ 2.0 g/L in the drinking water. ANE treatment was started from day 4 and was continuously given in the drinking water up to day 21. <i>E. coli</i> infection was given to the birds on day 7 of their age. The effect of the plant extract was evaluated on the basis of gross, microscopic and ultrastructural alterations in <i>E. coli</i> challenged broiler chickens. The extract of <i>A. nilagirica</i> was found to show antibacterial, cardioprotective and hepatoprotective properties in a dose-dependent manner on the basis of gross and microscopic examination. The methanol extract of <i>A. nilagirica</i> leaves revealed no toxic effect on the hepatocytes on ultrastructural evaluation. This study demonstrates the antimicrobial, hepatoprotective and cardioprotective activities of ANE in broiler chickens infected with <i>E. coli</i> organism.