Protective effect of nanocurcumin on renal histological damage in salinomycin-induced toxicity of broiler chickens

Salinomycin (SLM) is an ionophore antibiotic used extensively in the poultry industry for the control and prevention of coccidiosis. The toxicity of the ionophore is thought to be due to oxidative damage caused by the production of free radicals. Curcumin is a major component of turmeric, which has a wide range of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nanocurcumin (NC) as a natural antioxidant on broiler chickens poisoned with a toxic dose of SLM. In this study, 60 broilers were randomly divided into 5 groups. The first group was considered as control. The second group received SLM at a dose of 300 mg/kg bw per day for 14 days. Groups 3, 4 and 5 received oral doses of NC at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg bw per day for 14 days in addition to SLM. After 14 days, blood and kidney tissue samples were collected for biochemical and histopathological evaluation. It was observed that NC reduced the incidence and severity of renal histopathological lesions. The highest levels of inflammatory cells were observed in the cortex and medulla of the SLM group and it appeared that treatment with NC improved the condition and reduced the presence of inflammatory cells. It also significantly improved renal histomorphometric parameters (P<0.05). It seemed that SLM-induced adverse conditions can be reversed by oral administration of NC.