Haematological indices of Salmonella Gallinarum (Gr. D1-1, 9, 12) infected broiler chickens treated with ethanolic leaf extract of Chrysophyllum albidum (G. Don)

Abstract

This experiment was conducted for eight weeks to evaluate the haematological and serum biochemical indices of broiler chickens infected with Salmonella Gallinarum (Gr. D1-1, 9, 12) and treated with ethanolic leaf extract of Chrysophyllum albidum (G. Don). The experimental design was a factorial arrangement in a completely randomised design (CRD) involving one hundred and sixty two (162) unsexed day-old Arbor Acre broiler chicks. The chickens were allotted to nine (9) groups of three (3) replicates with each replicate comprising six (6) birds of infected, non-infected, treated and untreated group. Phytochemical screening of C. albidum revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, steroids, terpenoids and flavonoids. The extract and the standard drug were th administered at 7 day post infection. There were significant differences (P< 0.05) in Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Red Blood Cell (RBC), Haemoglobin (Hb), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Lymphocyte (LYM) and none in Heterophil (HET), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Monocytes, Basophils and Eosinophils at all levels. The highest values of PCV (33.67±1.86^a ), RBC (3.02±0.4^a ) and Hb (11.23±0.62^a ) though normal were observed in the standard drug (Doxygen®) group. Most of the serum biochemical parameters were found to be within range usually seen in avian species. It was concluded that ethanolic leaf extract of C. albidum had no deleterious effect on haematological and biochemical indices of broiler chickens and hence can be further explored pharmaceutically for its usefulness in treating fowl typhoid.