Synergistic Effects of Phyllanthus niruri, B-Complex Vitamins, and Vitamin C on Growth Performance and Meat Lipid Profile of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effect of Phyllanthus niruri combined with B-complex vitamins and vitamin C administered through drinking water on the growth performance and meat lipid profile of broilers. A total of 200 male broiler chicks (Cobb-500) were randomly allocated to five treatment groups (T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4) with supplementation levels of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 g/L of drinking water, respectively. Each group contained four replicates of 10 birds each, in a completely randomized design (CRD). The data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 (IBM Corp., USA). The experiment lasted 20 days, from 15 to 35 days of age. The results showed significantly higher weight gain (p<0.05) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p<0.05) in the T2, T3, and T4 groups compared with the T0 and T1 groups. Regarding the lipid profile, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was significantly increased (p<0.05) in the T3 and T4 groups compared with the remaining groups. Conversely, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides, and total cholesterol were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the T0 group compared with all other groups. In conclusion, supplementation with Phyllanthus niruri and vitamins improved growth performance and the lipid profile of broiler meat. The optimal response was achieved at 3 g/L of drinking water, suggesting that this phytogenic-vitamin combination is a promising nutritional strategy for producing healthier broiler meat.