Effects of probiotics and Bidens pilosa on the performance and gut health of chicken during induced E. tenella infection

Background Probiotics and Medicinal plants are widely used as an alternative to treat different kinds of the acute and chronic diseases in all over the world. Bidens pilosa is commonly used as foods and therapeutics against various pathogens including protozoan. In the present study probiotics and Bidens pilosa were used to explore the anticoccidial activity during experimental infection of Eimeria tenella ( E. tenella ) in chicken Methods One hundred and fifty one-day-old Chinese yellow breed chickens were divided into five equal groups. Group 1 was kept as control group (CG; un-treated, unchallenged). All other groups were inoculated with E. tenella sporulated oocysts on day 21 of age. Group 2 was kept as positive control (CPG; un-treated, challenged). Group 3 was treated with probiotics (PG) at the rate of 1g/kg of feed. Group 4 was treated with Bidens pilosa (BPG) at the dose of 0.5%/kg of feed. Group 5 was kept as probiotics + Bidens pilosa group (PG + BPG). All birds were weighed initially, day of infection and the final day of experiment. On day 5, 6, 7 and 8 post-infection (PI), bloody diarrhea was scored as normal (0) to sever (1, 2, 3 and 4), at the same time oocysts shedding was quantified by McMaster method. Gross caecal lesion scoring was checked at the final day of experiment. The apoptosis related gene expressions (Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3), anti-oxidant enzymatic expressions (CAT, SOD 1), Peptide transporter 1 (PepT 1), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8) and tight junction proteins expressions (CLDN 1, ZO 1) were checked by real time PCR. All related gene expressions average relative to β-actin was calculated by 2−ΔΔCt method. Results Birds treated with probiotics, Bidens pilosa and probiotics + Bidens pilosa slightly increased the body weight gain, significantly reduced oocysts shedding, destructive ratio of ceaca and mortality % than control positive group. CPG birds up-regulated the expressions of Bcl-2 while down-regulated the expressions of Bax and caspase-3 as compared to PG, BPG and PG + BPG groups. Moreover, Eimeria challenged chickens supplemented with probiotics, Bidens pilosa alone and combined showed higher anti-oxidant enzymatic activity than those of challenged un-treated chickens. Additionally, the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and tight junction related proteins were also up-regulated by the treated challenged than un-treated challenged chickens. Conclusion Present results revealed that, feed supplementation of probiotics and Bides pilosa induced apoptosis, enhanced anti-oxidant enzymatic activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as tight junction proteins and reduce mortality during E.tenella infection in chickens.