Immunological and Therapeutic Evaluation of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Derived Betaglucans against Coccidiosis in Chicken

This study was carried out to determine the immunomodulatory and therapeutic effects of wheat derived beta-glucans (purified) against avian coccidiosis. Briefly, beta-glucans from wheat bran were extracted and purified using standard procedures. A total of 250 broiler chicks (day-old) were reared at experimental station, Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad for this study. At 7 th day of their age, birds were subdivided into five equal groups (n=50). Groups A, B and C were orally administered with graded doses of purified beta-glucans (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg of body weight) for three consecutive days; whereas, positive control (group D) was administered with vitamin-E at the dose rate of 87mg/kg; while negative control (group E) was served with phosphate buffered saline (PBS solution). At 14 th day post administration of graded doses, 30 chickens from each group were randomly selected and used to monitor cellular and humoral immune responses, while remaining birds (n=20) in each group were challenged with mixed species of genus Eimeria for therapeutic evaluation. Overall, chickens in group A administered with 50 mg/kg b.wt. purified beta-glucans showed significantly higher immune responses in terms of enhanced humoral and cell mediated immunity as compared to those of other beta-glucans administered and E groups. While, the immune responses showed by group A were comparable with group D. After challenge with Eimeria, the groups A and D also showed maximum weight gains with low oocyst counts and maximum percent protection against lesions in both caecum and intestine. On the other hand, a minimum daily weight gain with increased number of oocysts in chickens was observed in control group (PBS) during therapeutic evaluation. These findings suggest that the beta-glucans derived from wheat may have immunomodulatory and therapeutic effects against Eimeria infection in chickens. © 2016 Friends Science Publishers

[1]  M. Awais,et al.  Studies on wheat bran Arabinoxylan for its immunostimulatory and protective effects against avian coccidiosis. , 2012, Carbohydrate polymers.

[2]  M. Awais,et al.  Immunotherapeutic effects of some sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) extracts against coccidiosis in industrial broiler chickens. , 2011, Experimental parasitology.

[3]  F. Saeed,et al.  Arabinoxylans and Arabinogalactans: A Comprehensive Treatise , 2011, Critical reviews in food science and nutrition.

[4]  D. Peng,et al.  Comparison of the immunological activities of arabinoxylans from wheat bran with alkali and xylanase-aided extraction , 2010 .

[5]  F. Muhammad,et al.  Immunomodulatory and Protective Effects of Sugar Cane Juice in Chickens against Eimeria Infection , 2008 .

[6]  Patrice D Cani,et al.  Immunomodulatory properties of two wheat bran fractions - aleurone-enriched and crude fractions - in obese mice fed a high fat diet. , 2008, International immunopharmacology.

[7]  T. Onodera,et al.  Immunostimulating effects of the polyphenol‐rich fraction of sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) extract in chickens , 2007, Phytotherapy research : PTR.

[8]  Y. Kakùda,et al.  Extraction, fractionation, structural and physical characterization of wheat β-D-glucans , 2006 .

[9]  H. Lillehoj,et al.  Poultry coccidiosis: recent advancements in control measures and vaccine development , 2006, Expert review of vaccines.

[10]  Bhushan Patwardhan,et al.  Botanical immunodrugs: scope and opportunities , 2005, Drug Discovery Today.

[11]  T. Onodera,et al.  Preventive and therapeutic effects of sugar cane extract on cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression in chickens. , 2004, International immunopharmacology.

[12]  Joanne Slavin,et al.  Why whole grains are protective: biological mechanisms , 2003, Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.

[13]  T. Onodera,et al.  Adjuvant effects of sugar cane extracts (SCE) in chickens. , 2003, The Journal of veterinary medical science.

[14]  T. Onodera,et al.  Immunostimulating and growth-promoting effects of sugar cane extract (SCE) in chickens. , 2002, The Journal of veterinary medical science.

[15]  K. Tiihonen,et al.  Betaine aids in the osmoregulation of duodenal epithelium of broiler chicks, and affects the movement of water across the small intestinal epithelium in vitro. , 2001, Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology.

[16]  K. Bone,et al.  Herbal products: active constituents, modes of action and quality control , 2000, Nutrition Research Reviews.

[17]  Y. Saif,et al.  A novel "small round virus" inducing poult enteritis and mortality syndrome and associated immune alterations. , 2000, Avian diseases.

[18]  K. Yoshihara,et al.  Effects of the lipopolysaccharide-protein complex and crude capsular antigens of Pasteurella multocida serotype A on antibody responses and delayed type hypersensitivity responses in the chicken. , 1999, The Journal of veterinary medical science.

[19]  D. Singh,et al.  Antibody response to sheep erythrocytes in Indian native vis-à-vis imported breeds of chickens. , 1999, British poultry science.

[20]  Bing Li,et al.  Immunomodulatory Activities of Oat β‐Glucan In Vitro and In Vivo , 1997 .

[21]  J. Lydon,et al.  Effects of components of Artemisia annua on coccidia infections in chickens. , 1997, Poultry science.

[22]  V. Saxena,et al.  Genetic studies on primary antibody response to sheep erythrocytes in guinea fowl. , 1997, British poultry science.

[23]  H. Lillehoj,et al.  Avian gut-associated lymphoid tissues and intestinal immune responses to Eimeria parasites , 1996, Clinical microbiology reviews.

[24]  H. A. Vahl,et al.  Interaction between nutrition and Eimeria acervulina infection in broiler chickens: development of an experimental infection model , 1996, British Journal of Nutrition.

[25]  G. B. Havenstein,et al.  A comparison of the immune performance of a 1991 commercial broiler with a 1957 randombred strain when fed "typical" 1957 and 1991 broiler diets. , 1994, Poultry science.

[26]  K. Masihi.  Immunotherapy of infections , 1994 .

[27]  K. Mašek,et al.  Antiviral and adjuvant activity of immunomodulator adamantylamide dipeptide. , 1992, Advances in experimental medicine and biology.

[28]  M. A. Qureshi,et al.  Signal requirements for the acquisition of tumoricidal competence by chicken peritoneal macrophages. , 1991, Poultry science.

[29]  N. Farnsworth.  The role of ethnopharmacology in drug development. , 2007, Ciba Foundation symposium.

[30]  D. Corrier.  Comparison of phytohemagglutinin-induced cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions in the interdigital skin of broiler and layer chicks. , 1990, Avian diseases.

[31]  B. Lewis,et al.  Enzymic determination of β-glucan in cereal-based food products , 1990 .

[32]  H. Lillehoj.  Intestinal Intraepithelial andSplenic Natural Killer CellResponses toEimerian Infections inInbred Chickens , 1989 .

[33]  M. McKenzie,et al.  Gut stasis in chickens infected with Eimeria. , 1987, Poultry science.

[34]  L. Bacon,et al.  Genetic Variation in the Recruitment and Activation of Chicken Peritoneal Macrophages , 1986, Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

[35]  X. Li,et al.  Activation of the classical complement pathway by a polysaccharide from sugar cane. , 1982, Immunopharmacology.

[36]  B. Glick,et al.  A comparison of the immune response between two lines of chickens selected for differences in the weight of the bursa of Fabricius. , 1982, Poultry science.

[37]  J. F. Ryley,et al.  Methods in coccidiosis research: separation of oocysts from faeces , 1976, Parasitology.

[38]  J. Singh,et al.  Effect of gamma-irradiation on oocysts of Eimeria necatrix , 1975, Parasitology.

[39]  T. The,et al.  A standard method for DNCB sensitization testing in patients with neoplasms , 1974 .

[40]  J. Johnson,et al.  Anticoccidial drugs: lesion scoring techniques in battery and floor-pen experiments with chickens. , 1970, Experimental parasitology.