EFFECT OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION WITH DRUMSTICK TREE (MORINGA OLEIFERA) LEAVES POWDER AND HIGH FAT DIET ON LIVER AND KIDNEY FUNCTION OF CHICKENS

Afia Amin, Irum Naureen, Aisha Saleem*, Dilshad Ali, Malaika Javed, Zohaib Hassan

ABSTRACT

Moringa oleifera is an important tropical food plant with potential applications in industrial, therapeutic, and agricultural uses, as a natural feed supplement in poultry production. The purpose of the study was to analyze the effect of Moringa oleifera with a high fat diet on the liver and kidney function of chickens and to evaluate the beneficial effect of Moringa oleifera on the function of the liver and kidney. Twenty egg-laying hens of the same size were divided into four groups of five birds each. Group 1 (control) received a standard diet; Group 2 received the diet + oil; Group 3 received the diet + oil + Moringa; and Group 4 received the diet + Moringa alone. Body weight gain was recorded after 30 days of the experiment relative to the initial body weight. Group 2 showed changes in liver and kidney oxidative stress markers due to the fatty diet; the induction of fat by oil was associated with metabolic disturbance arising from inflammation and oxidative stress that adversely affected liver and kidney function. However, Group 3, which received Moringa oleifera extract together with oil, showed reduced severity of nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. Serum levels of creatinine, urea, SGPT and SGOT in the Moringa-treated chickens were lower than in the control group. It was concluded that chickens exposed to a fatty diet showed increased fat accumulation, but Moringa supplementation could control fat accumulation, hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.

Keywords: Bilirubin; Creatinine; Moringa oleifera; Mustard oil; Hepatotoxicity.