Blood parameters and hepatic histopathology of broilers fed rations supplemented with essential oils

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the hematological profile, hepatic function, and histopathology of mixed-sex broilers fed rations supplemented with microencapsulated essential oils from Cymbopogon flexuosus (lemon grass) and Lippia rotundifolia (chá-de-pedestre). One hundred and fifty Cobb chicks were housed in cages from 1 to 42 days of age in a completely randomized design, with six replicates with five chickens in each of five treatments (150 total chicks): basal diet without antibiotic growth promoter (negative control), diet with enramicina and salinomycin (positive control), diet with lemon grass essential oil, diet with L. rotundifolia essential oil, and diet with a mixture of lemon grass and L. rotundifolia essential oils. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were significantly lower in untreated broilers (negative control group). Gender was not associated with erythrogram values, but aspartate aminotransferase activity (AST) was higher in females. Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) was higher in chicks in the group that received rations with lemon grass oil. Broilers that received L. rotundifolia oil developed more hepatic lesions, although no effect of sex was observed related to the lesion score. Biliary hyperplasia and fibroplasias were observed in all groups, with higher histopathology scores in broilers that received diets containing L. rotundifolia oil. Mixed-sex broilers fed rations supplemented with lemon grass and L. rotundifolia essential oils have normal complete blood counts and unspecific hepatic lesions and are characterized by lipidosis, hyperplasia of the bile ducts, and fibroplasia.