Effects Of The Stem And Leaf’s Ultrafine Powder Of Astragalus Membranaceus On Immune Function Of Chickens

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of the stems and leaves inultrafined powder of Astragalus (SLASUP) on immune functions of chickens, and toprovide a basis for clinical application of the stems and leaves of Astragalus. Four hundredHyaline brown chicks were assigned randomly into five groups at1day of age, fiftychickens of each. Group Ⅰ was the control group, receiving no herbs. Group Ⅱ was thepositive herbal group, birds in this group being given0.5%powder of Astragalus root infeedstuff (the0.5%ARP group). Group Ⅲ was the0.5%SLASUP group. Group Ⅳ wasthe1%SLASUP group, Group Ⅴ was the1.5%SLASUP group. Chickens in the threeSLASUP groups were given SLASUP powder in the feedstuff. All birds in the five groupswere immunized on day7and day21with Newcastle Disease Vaccine and were raised to49d.The blood samples with EDTA were collected on days21,28,35,42and49todetermine the total number of peripheral leukocytes; Then the chickens were sacrificed,with the thymus, spleen and Bursa of Fabricius being weighed for the calculation ofimmune organ indexes;The blood samples on days21,28,35,42and49were collected to determine the NDVantibody titers, the contents of IL-2and the IFN-γ in the sera of21,35,49-day-oldchickens. The blood samples Heparin sodium were collected on days21,35and49andthen the lymphocytes were isolated to determine the EAC (erythrocyte antibodycomplement) rosette-forming cell percentage of B lymphocyte and T lymphocyte positivepercentage by ANAE in chickens. The charcoal clearance rates of chickens in each groupwere determined on day49. The results indicate that both1%and1.5%SLASUP canincrease the total number of peripheral leukocytes and the1.5%SLASUP have strongereffect; All of0.5%ARP and0.5%,1%,1.5%SLASUP can increase significantly theweight, thymus index (p<0.05or p<0.01), and1.5%SLASUP have the same effect as the0.5%ARP group; Both1%SLASUP the0.5%ARP nd1.5%SLASUP can improve the immune functions of chickens significantly by increasing the antibody titers, IL-2andIFN-γ contents (p<0.05or p<0.01), and1%SLASUP have the best effect,too; All of0.5%ARP and0.5%,1%,1.5%SLASUP can also enhance the the EAC (erythrocyte antibodycomplement) rosette-forming cell percentage of B lymphocyte and T lymphocyte positivepercentage by ANAE in chickens (p<0.05or p<0.01), while1%SLASUP have the besteffect. Both0.5%ARP and1%SLASUP nearly have the same effect on the charcoalclearance rates of chickens (p<0.05or p<0.01).Conclusion: The stems and leaves of Astragalus in ultrafined powder (SLASUP)enhanced the immunological functions of chickens including the total number of peripheralleukocytes, the weight, the thymus index, the Newcastle Disease (ND) antibody titers, thecontents of IFN-γ, IL-2, the EAC (erythrocyte antibody complement) rosette-forming cellpercentage of B lymphocyte, the T lymphocyte positive percentage by ANAE and thecharcoal clearance rates. This study can be used as a reference for future studies to developeffective Chinese herbal medicine immune-enhancers. SLASUP may be clinically used asan adjuvant in boosting immune responses in poultry farms.