Effects of a powder made from three medicinal plants on growth performance, intestinal health, antioxidant activity, and anti-inflammatory ability in Xianghuang chickens

This study investigated the effect of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plant powder made from an equal proportion of <i>Sarcococca ruscifolia</i> Stapf, <i>Hedera nepalensis var. sinensis</i> (Tobl.) Rehd, and <i>Clematis chinensis</i> Osbeck on growth performance and intestinal health in Xianghuang chickens, focusing on intestinal histomorphology, antioxidant activity, and anti-inflammation function. A total of 100 10-day-old male Xianghuang chickens were randomly assigned to two groups, with five replicate cages per group containing 10 birds each. The birds in the control group received a corn-soybean-based diet, while the birds in the TCM group received the control diet supplemented with 2% of the TCM powder. The chickens were slaughtered for sample collection on D28. The results showed that the average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), and feed-to-gain (F:G) ratio were not affected by the TCM supplementation (<i>p</i> > 0.05). In the jejunum and ileum, the ratio of the villus height to the crypt depth was higher in the TCM group compared to the control group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Supplementing the chickens with 2% TCM powder increased the total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in the jejunal mucosa compared to the control group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The gene expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was downregulated in the jejunal mucosa and spleen in the TCM group compared to the control group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In conclusion, TCM powder can be safely utilized to promote the development of the intestinal tract by enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions without affecting the growth performance. Our findings suggest that TCM powder is an effective and low-toxicity natural additive for intestinal improvement in poultry.