DOI: 10.11118/nutrinet2026_018

BLOOD ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN COCCIDIOSIS-INFECTED BROILER CHICKENS FED ALLIUM SPP.-BASED SUPPLEMENTS

Jana Uřičářová¹, Vlastimil Šimek¹, Radka Dobšíková¹

¹ Department of Animal Breeding, Animal Nutrition and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic

This study aimed to evaluate the dietary effect of dried onion (Allium cepa) and Garlicon, a product rich in propylpropanthiosulfinate (PTS) and propylpropanthiosulfonate (PTSO), on antioxidant indicators in the blood plasma of broiler chickens challenged to Eimeria spp. infection. Chickens were divided into four dietary groups with specific treatment (CP, control positive group receiving a control diet with synthetic coccidiostat; CN, control negative group receiving a control diet without supplements; ON1, experimental group receiving a diet supplemented with 7,5 g/kg onion meal; ON2, experimental group receiving a diet supplemented with 30 mg/kg Garlicon). At 21 and 42 days of age, no statistically significant differences were found in catalase and glutathion-S-transferase activity, or malondialdehyde level, indicating no significant effect on lipid peroxidation in blood plasma. A significant increase in glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was observed at 21 days of age in the ON1 group (1329.97 ± 62.217 nmol NADPH/min/ml; P < 0.01), and in ON2 group (1225.12 ± 96.029 nmol NADPH/min/ml; P < 0.05) compared with the CP group (915.42 ± 86.754 nmol NADPH/min/ml). At 42 days, GPx activity remained significantly higher in the ON1 group (1485.07 ± 78.595 nmol NADPH/min/ml; P < 0.05) while a highly significant increase was also detected in the CN group (1681.29 ± 58.741 nmol NADPH/min/ml; P < 0.01) compared with the CP group (1120.80 ± 102.672 nmol NADPH/min/ml). The results suggest that supplementation with dried onion meal, and Garlicon did not reduce lipid peroxidation in plasma, but it positively affected antioxidant enzyme activity, especially GPx. Further studies dealing the effect of Allium spp.-based phytogenic additives on chickens’ health and metabolism are needed to evaluate with regards to growth rate dynamics.

Klíčová slova: antioxidants; onion; broilers; glutathione peroxidase

stránky: 168-174, online: 2026