Dietary Nigella sativa nanoparticles enhance broiler growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, gene expression modulation, and cecal microbiota during high ambient temperatures

Abstract Environmental heat stress causes significant economic loss in the poultry industry. Therefore, interest has increased in using feed additives to reduce the negative impacts of heat stress on the chickens and improve production performance. This study aimed to assess the effect of supplement...

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Main Authors: Ahmed M. Elbaz, Eman S. Ashmawy, M. A. A. Farahat, Ahmed Abdel‑Maksoud, Shimaa A. Amin, Zangabel S. Mohamed
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82725-9
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author Ahmed M. Elbaz
Eman S. Ashmawy
M. A. A. Farahat
Ahmed Abdel‑Maksoud
Shimaa A. Amin
Zangabel S. Mohamed
author_facet Ahmed M. Elbaz
Eman S. Ashmawy
M. A. A. Farahat
Ahmed Abdel‑Maksoud
Shimaa A. Amin
Zangabel S. Mohamed
author_sort Ahmed M. Elbaz
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Environmental heat stress causes significant economic loss in the poultry industry. Therefore, interest has increased in using feed additives to reduce the negative impacts of heat stress on the chickens and improve production performance. This study aimed to assess the effect of supplementing with Nigella sativa nanoparticles (Nano-NS) as an anti-stress and growth promoter in broiler diets under hot climatic conditions. A total of 375 male one-day-old Ross 308 chicks were randomly divided into a control group and four treatment groups (75 chicks/group). The first group fed a basal diet without additives, the second group fed a basal diet supplemented with avilamycin at 50 mg/kg, and the other groups fed a basal diet supplemented with 30, 40, and 50 mg/kg Nano-NS, respectively. Despite that feed intake was not affected, feed conversion ratio, body weight gain, and crude protein digestibility improved in broilers fed Nano-NS (P < 0.05) compared with avilamycin and the control groups. Adding Nano-NS led to an increase in the dressing percentage and the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius and thymus. Serum high-density lipoprotein levels increased while total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein concentrations decreased (P < 0.05) in broilers fed Nano-NS compared with control groups. Furthermore, Nano-NS supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) serum immunoglobulin (IgG and IgA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels, while decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) concentration. Moreover, there was a significant increase in the Lactobacillus population and a decrease (P < 0.05) in the E. coli and C. perfringens population in chicks fed Nano-NS. In the intestinal tissues, mucin 2 (MUC2) gene expression increased in chickens fed 50 mg/kg Nano-NS compared to other groups. It is concluded that adding Nano-NS (up to 50 mg/kg) reduced the negative effects of heat stress via enhancing growth performance, immune responses, and antioxidant status, modulating the microbial community structure, and increasing the expression of the MUC2 gene in broilers under high ambient temperature.
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spelling doaj-art-d1007ce46cfe4f56b4911cb5ad2bbc2e2025-08-20T02:36:38ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111310.1038/s41598-024-82725-9Dietary Nigella sativa nanoparticles enhance broiler growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, gene expression modulation, and cecal microbiota during high ambient temperaturesAhmed M. Elbaz0Eman S. Ashmawy1M. A. A. Farahat2Ahmed Abdel‑Maksoud3Shimaa A. Amin4Zangabel S. Mohamed5Animal and Poultry Nutrition Department, Desert Research CenterAnimal and Poultry Nutrition Department, Desert Research CenterAnimal and Poultry Nutrition Department, Desert Research CenterAnimal and Poultry Nutrition Department, Desert Research CenterMicrobiology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams UniversityLecture of Poultry Production Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha UniversityAbstract Environmental heat stress causes significant economic loss in the poultry industry. Therefore, interest has increased in using feed additives to reduce the negative impacts of heat stress on the chickens and improve production performance. This study aimed to assess the effect of supplementing with Nigella sativa nanoparticles (Nano-NS) as an anti-stress and growth promoter in broiler diets under hot climatic conditions. A total of 375 male one-day-old Ross 308 chicks were randomly divided into a control group and four treatment groups (75 chicks/group). The first group fed a basal diet without additives, the second group fed a basal diet supplemented with avilamycin at 50 mg/kg, and the other groups fed a basal diet supplemented with 30, 40, and 50 mg/kg Nano-NS, respectively. Despite that feed intake was not affected, feed conversion ratio, body weight gain, and crude protein digestibility improved in broilers fed Nano-NS (P < 0.05) compared with avilamycin and the control groups. Adding Nano-NS led to an increase in the dressing percentage and the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius and thymus. Serum high-density lipoprotein levels increased while total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein concentrations decreased (P < 0.05) in broilers fed Nano-NS compared with control groups. Furthermore, Nano-NS supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) serum immunoglobulin (IgG and IgA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels, while decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) concentration. Moreover, there was a significant increase in the Lactobacillus population and a decrease (P < 0.05) in the E. coli and C. perfringens population in chicks fed Nano-NS. In the intestinal tissues, mucin 2 (MUC2) gene expression increased in chickens fed 50 mg/kg Nano-NS compared to other groups. It is concluded that adding Nano-NS (up to 50 mg/kg) reduced the negative effects of heat stress via enhancing growth performance, immune responses, and antioxidant status, modulating the microbial community structure, and increasing the expression of the MUC2 gene in broilers under high ambient temperature.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82725-9High ambient temperatureBroilersGrowthAntioxidantImmune responseNigella sativa nanoparticles
spellingShingle Ahmed M. Elbaz
Eman S. Ashmawy
M. A. A. Farahat
Ahmed Abdel‑Maksoud
Shimaa A. Amin
Zangabel S. Mohamed
Dietary Nigella sativa nanoparticles enhance broiler growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, gene expression modulation, and cecal microbiota during high ambient temperatures
Scientific Reports
High ambient temperature
Broilers
Growth
Antioxidant
Immune response
Nigella sativa nanoparticles
title Dietary Nigella sativa nanoparticles enhance broiler growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, gene expression modulation, and cecal microbiota during high ambient temperatures
title_full Dietary Nigella sativa nanoparticles enhance broiler growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, gene expression modulation, and cecal microbiota during high ambient temperatures
title_fullStr Dietary Nigella sativa nanoparticles enhance broiler growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, gene expression modulation, and cecal microbiota during high ambient temperatures
title_full_unstemmed Dietary Nigella sativa nanoparticles enhance broiler growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, gene expression modulation, and cecal microbiota during high ambient temperatures
title_short Dietary Nigella sativa nanoparticles enhance broiler growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, gene expression modulation, and cecal microbiota during high ambient temperatures
title_sort dietary nigella sativa nanoparticles enhance broiler growth performance antioxidant capacity immunity gene expression modulation and cecal microbiota during high ambient temperatures
topic High ambient temperature
Broilers
Growth
Antioxidant
Immune response
Nigella sativa nanoparticles
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82725-9
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