Efficacy of Polyherbal Superliv Liquid for ameliorating CCl4 induced Fatty Liver and Kidney Syndrome in broilers

In poultry birds, besides other vital organs, liver is one of the key organ which plays major role in building the foundation for successful performance of birds for optimum productivity and maximum profitability.  The functions of liver are numerous like metabolism, circulation, detoxification, excretion, defence and haemopoiesis.  Efficient liver functioning ensures effective digestion of feed, assimilation of nutrients, detoxification of metabolic, dietary, synthetic drugs (anthelmintic, antibiotic) linked toxins and also minimization of damaging effects of mycotoxins. Dietary feed contaminants (residual pesticides, mycotoxins, heavy metals and pathogenic microbes), coccidiostats, anthelmintics, antibiotics, sulfonamides and other chemical drugs partly or completely damage the liver cells and impair the normal functioning of liver. Impaired liver functions or hypoactive sluggish liver in poultry birds, directly and indirectly affect vital functions and result in poor utilization of feed energy and nutrients, improper growth of chicks, growers and layers, resulting in low productivity output, poor livability, increased morbidity and mortality, vaccination failure and poor resistance, frequent disease outbreak, poor FCR, increased susceptibility to microbes and toxins finally resulting in heavy economic losses. Fatty Liver and Kidney Syndrome (FLKS) is a metabolic disease in poultry that may occur either due to metabolic or nutritional disturbances or chemical intoxication. FLKS is characterized by disproportionate infiltration of lipid in the liver and kidney, enlarged friable liver, hyper­cholesterolemia, decreased performance and poor egg production in poultry. It is a consequence of imbalance in energy metabolism leading to altered fat metabolism and hence the fatty infiltration in liver and other vital organs. Among chemical agents, CCU, a hepatotoxic chemical agent is by and large used to produce experimental model to study hepatic cirrhosis and fibrosis in experimental animals . It is well established that CCI4 induces hepatotoxicity by metabolic activation; therefore it selectively causes toxicity in liver cells maintaining semi- normal metabolic function. Exposure to CCU results in hepatic steatosis, centrilobular necrosis and ultimately cirrhosis in liver and acute tubular necrosis in kidney . Hepatoprotection by conventional or synthetic drugs used in the treatment of liver diseases are inadequate and sometimes can have serious side effects . In the absence of a reliable liver protective drug in modern medicine there are a number of medicinal preparations in Ayurveda recommended for the treatment of liver disorders. In view of severe undesirable side effects of synthetic agents, there is an emerging focus to follow systematic research methodology and to evaluate scientific basis for the traditional herbal medicines that are claimed to possess hepatoprotective activity.

Superliv is a polyherbal formulation of potent and highly efficacious prestandardized and tested herbs. These herbs by virtue of their therapeutic action, for example, liver cell rejuvenating (hepatogenerative), hepato-stimulative, hepatoprotective, anti-hepatotoxic and positive anabolic effect, tone up the liver of poultry birds for optimum performance and productivity. These herbs keep liver in perfect condition by promoting glycogen synthesis, checking the depletion of glycogen and enhancing the detoxification power of liver.  In addition to the inherent liver tonic effect, they also exert beneficial effect on the functioning of spleen, kidneys and gall bladder.  Superliv formulation is in fact a true liver formula for poultry birds for better growth, production and protection from aflatoxins. Superliv formulation has multiple functions like improving the performance of liver, spleen, kidney, gall bladder and improving the immune system due to which overall performance of poultry bird (layer and broiler) is increased which results in productivity linked profits.

A 6 week long experimental trial was conducted to study the therapeutic efficacy of Superliv in CCL₄ induced fatty liver and kidney syndrome (FLKS) by Sonkusale P. M., Sehgal Shivi^*, Bhandarkar, A.G. and Kurkure, N.V, Nagpur Veterinary College, Seminary Hills, Nagpur-06 and  was presented in XXVII Annual Conference and National Symposium of Indian Poultry Science Association   PPH-002.

A total of 75 Cobb day old broilers were divided into three equal groups (n=25), Group A served as negative control, group B (positive control) &C (treatment group) were induced with FLKS with CCL₄ @ 1 ml/kg body weight orally, administered every 3^rd day during 15-28 days of trial. Treated group C was given Superliv @ 10 ml/100 birds/day along with water from 29-42 days. FLKS syndrome lead to depression in growth rate, lowered feed efficiency and disturbances in biochemical parameters. A significant (P< 0.01) increase in final mean- body weight gain was observedin group C as compared to group B. There was a significant (P< 0.01) decrease in feed conversion ratio in group C as compared to group B. A significant (P< 0.05) decrease in serum cholesterol, triglycerides and VLDL was observed on 42^nd day of study in group C as compared to group B. which was in confirmation with the values of negative control group A falling into normal range. Serum creatinine levels were significantly decreased in group C (P< 0.01) in comparison to group A and group B. 

The  results indicates to the efficacy of the polyherbal formulations in ameliorating the toxic effect of CCl4 on liver and normalizing fat metabolism.