Effect of Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oil and vitamin ‌C on growth performance, intestinal villi morphology and immune response to Newcastle live vaccine following in water administration of Cadmium in Japanese quail

Environmental pollution and occupational exposure to toxic metals, such as mercury, cadmium and lead, causes chronic and malignant diseases with significant complications in the majority of body tissues. Increased production of free radicals and reduced antioxidant activity is considered as the main factor for the incidence of lesions resulting from cadmium poisoning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of clove essential oil and vitamin C on growth performance, intestinal villi morphology and immune response to Newcastle live vaccine of Japanese quails challenged with cadmium. A total of 240 one-day old quails were divided into 8 groups with 30 quails in each group (3 replicates with 10 birds). Groups 1 and 8 received basal diet; groups 2 and 7 basal diet + 500 ppm vitamin C in the diet; groups 3 and 5 received basal diet + 150 mg/kg of the diet clove essential oil; and groups 4 and 6 received basal diet + 450 mg/kg of the diet clove essential oil. Cadmium chloride (40 ppm) was added to the drinking water of groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 during the experimental period (days 7-35). On day 21, 9 blood samples were collected from each group and segments of duodenum, jejunum and ileum of 9 quails from each group were isolated and sampled on day 35. The results indicated that groups 6 and 7 had significantly (p<0.05) greater body weight, villi dimensions and absorptive surface than the control group. Also groups 2, 4 and 8 had a significant increase of the intestinal villi dimensions and absorptive surface in different segments of the intestine compared to group 1 (p<0.05). In conclusion, the results of the present study showed that adding vitamin C and clove essential oil to the diet of Japanese quails had positive effects on growth parameters and intestinal villi absorptive surface and also alleviated the negative effects of cadmium on body weight and intestinal villi absorptive surface in these birds.