Eucalyptus globulus oil supplementation improves growth performance by regulating serum biochemistry, antioxidant, intestinal health, and lung health of broilers from 1 to 21 days of age.

Abstract

Eucalyptus globulus oil (EGO) is distinguished by its elevated 1,8-cineole content and is gaining attention as a natural feed additive due to its multifunctional bioactivities. However, the specific impacts of EGO on broiler physiology, including serum biochemical parameters and organ barrier functions, are not yet fully understood. The objective of this research was to ascertain the impact of EGO on the growth of broiler chickens. This investigation encompassed various parameters, including serum biochemistry, antioxidant capacity, intestinal and lung immunological function, and barrier function aspects. A total of 288 one-day-old male Cobb broilers with similar weight (45.18 ± 1.01 g) were randomly divided into four groups of six replicates of 12 birds each. The control group (CON) was fed a basal diet, while the other three groups received a basal diet supplemented with 100, 200, or 300 mg/kg of EGO. The trial lasted 21 days. Performance indices, including average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed-to-gain ratio (F/G), were evaluated at 7, 14, and 21 days of age. One bird per replicate was euthanized to collect blood, immune organ, lung, and jejunal tissue samples for further analysis at 21 days of age. This supplementation increased ADG by 3.90% and decreased F/G by 3.97% ( p < 0.05). It was evident that both ADG and F/G demonstrated a quadratic response to elevated EGO levels ( p < 0.05). Serum analysis revealed linear and quadratic increases in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and creatinine (Cr) levels with higher EGO doses ( p < 0.05), while lysozyme (LZM) activity increased linearly ( p < 0.05). The antioxidant capacity was enhanced, showing linear and quadratic improvements in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, and a reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) ( p < 0.05). In the jejunum, EGO was observed to down-regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β ( IL-1β ), tumor necrosis factor- α ( TNF-α ), and interferon- γ ( IFN-γ ), and up-regulate the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 ( IL-10 ) ( p < 0.05). Concurrently, EGO increased the expression of tight junction proteins occludin ( OCLN ), claudin-1 ( CLDN1 ), tight junction protein 1 ( TJP1 ), and mucin 2 ( MUC2 ) ( p < 0.05). In contrast, EGO has been demonstrated to up-regulate avian beta-defensin 5 ( AvBD5 ), IFN-γ , and IL-10 in lung tissue ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, EGO has been shown to enhance CLDN1 and TJP1 expression ( p < 0.05), while significantly reducing OCLN levels ( p < 0.05). These findings suggest that, given growth performance, safety, and efficacy, an additive dosage of 200 mg/kg is recommended.