Evaluation of Herbal Methionine and Mangifera indica Against Lead-induced Organ Toxicity in Broilers

Lead toxicity was studied in male broiler chicks (Cobb strain) of a day-old age. The chicks were randomly divided into six groups consisting of 15 in each group. Group 1 was maintained as basal diet control and group 2 was kept on lead at 300 ppm in feed throughout 5 wk as toxic control without any treatment. Groups 3 and 4 were maintained on herbal methionine at 1.4 g/kg feed + Mangifera indica at 0.1% in feed, respectively. Groups 5 and 6 were treated with lead + herbal methionine and lead + M.indica, respectively, for the 5 wk. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and protein carbonyls, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in liver and kidney revealed a significant (P<0.05) increase, while there was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in the concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) in liver and kidney, and hepatocytic membrane ATPases and cytochrome P₄₅₀ (CYP₄₅₀) in liver in the lead toxic control group. Treatment with herbal remedies in groups 5 and 6 resulted in a marked improvement in all the above parameters as compared to those of lead toxic control. Thus, it is concluded that lead induces biological damage by means of oxidative stress and the herbs in test offered better amelioration. The beneficial effects of herbal methionine and Ma. indica may be attributed to their antioxidant, anti-stress and hepatoprotective principles.