The effect of Protexin and vitamin C on blood immune cells, lymphoid organ’s weight and blood antioxidant concentrations of broilers under heat stress

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of Protexin and vitamin C on blood-immune cells, lymphoid organs’ weight, and blood antioxidant concentrations of broiler chickens under heat stress (HS). A total of 400 one-day-old broiler chickens were used in a completely randomized design. Experimental groups included a negative control (without additive, no HS), positive control (without additive, HS), vitamin C, Protexin, and the combination of Protexin and vitamin C groups. Birds were exposed to chronic HS (35±1˚C, humidity: 65-70%) for 7 hours daily from days 14 to 35. Eight birds from each treatment were slaughtered on days 14 and 28 and the relative weight of lymphoid organs including the spleen, Bursa of Fabricius, and thymus were calculated. The number of immune cells was assessed weekly. The blood antioxidants concentration was evaluated weekly. According to the results, VitC+Protexin group showed the highest Bursa spleen and thymus weight during HS (P≤0.05). Also, protexin group showed a higher thymus and spleen weight during HS than the positive control (P≤0.05). HS reduced the ratio of heterophils to lymphocytes (P≤0.05). However, the addition of vitamin C and Proteoxin reduced the count of heterophils compared to the positive control during HS. The results showed that vitamin C significantly increased the concentration of superoxide dismutase and catalase and decreased the concentration of glutathione peroxidase in the broiler's blood during HS (P≤0.05). According to the results of this study, the VitC+Protexin showed a better performance than other groups. the concentration of glutathione peroxidase in the broilers blood during HS (P≤0.05).