Effect of Eclipta prostrata (L.) leaf powder on serum biochemical parameters of broiler chicken during aflatoxicosis

The study was aimed to investigate the protective effect of Eclipta prostrata leaf powder on experimentally induced aflatoxicosis in broiler chicken. Sixty Cobb400 day old broiler chicks were randomly divided into six groups comprising 10 birds in each group. Aflatoxicosis was experimentally induced in all groups except T1 and T3 by giving 500 ppb of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contaminated maize from eighth day of age onwards. The group T1 was kept as normal control and T2 as toxic control. T3 was fed with E. prostata leaf powder at 0.2 per cent level. The leaf powder of E. prostrata was given to T4, T5 and T6 at dose rates of 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 per cent respectively. Serum was separated on days 7, 21 and 42 and used for the estimation of aspartate transaminase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), cholesterol (CL) and total proteins (TP). In T2 group, there was significant increase in the AST and decrease in the CL and TP. Treatment with E. prostrata leaves powder revealed protection in dose dependent manner which is indicated by significant (P<0.05) reduction in the level of serum AST and increase in the level of cholesterol and total protein.