A Study of the Effect of Vitamin C and Ocimum Sanctum Supplementation on Antioxidant Enzyme Levels in Broilers Under Heat-Stress

This experiment was conducted in heat-stressed broiler chicken to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of Vitamin C and Ocimum sanctum on antioxidative enzyme levels. A total of forty broiler chickens of day old age were divided into 4 groups of 10 each, were used for this study. Vitamin C (300 mg/kg), Ocimum sanctum leaf powder (0.5%) and their combination were added to the basal diet. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation levels in plasma were measured at the end of 6 weeks of age. Dietary supplementation of Vitamin C itself increased SOD, GSH-px, catalase enzyme levels significantly (p<0.05). However, supplementation of both Vitamin C and Ocimum sanctum effectively enhanced the levels of SOD, GSH-px, catalase, and GSH with concomitant decrease in lipid peroxidation levels in plasma. It is concluded that dietary supplementation of Vitamin C and its combination with Ocimum sanctum at 0.5% level can combat oxidative stress caused by high environmental temperature in broilers, by enhancing antioxidative enzyme levels.