Pycnogenol and Its Nanoparticles: A Comparative Study of Their Effects on Growth, Gut Morphology, and mRNA Level of Lipid Metabolic Pathways and Antioxidant-Related Genes in Broilers

Abstract

This study aimed to find out how dietary supplementation with pycnogenol and its nanoparticles affected the growth performance, immune response, and antioxidant activity of broilers. In a 35-day feeding study, 150 one-day-old male avian chicks were randomly assigned to one of three nutrition regimens in three repetitions. The studied birds received a Pycnogenol free diet (Control), a Pycnogenol at 50 mg/kg diet (PYC), or a Nano-Pycnogenol at 50 mg/kg diet (Nano-PYC). At the end, Nano-Pycnogenol group demonstrated the highest growth performance among the groups followed by Pycnogenol group (P < 0.05). Concurrent with the improved duodenum and jejunum morphologies of the tested groups in comparison to control (P < 0.05). Additionally, there were significant decreases in triglyceride and very low-density lipoprotein levels (VLDL) and elevations in HDL cholesterol (P < 0.05). Furthermore, fatty acid synthetase (FAS), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) levels and activities have been assessed, in addition to, super oxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), insulin like growth factor -1 (IGF-1), growth hormone (GHR) and myostatin mRNA expression levels and activities. All of these genes were found to be highly expressed in the Nano-PYC and PYC groups as compared to the control except FAS and Myostatin mRNA expression levels which demonstrated significantly lower levels, than the control group (P < 0.05). To sum up, giving a broiler a 50 mg/kg dose of Pycnogenol and its nanoparticles may improve the shape of its gut, and its immune system and antioxidant defences.