This document discusses the use of herbal immunomodulators in poultry to improve immunity and combat antibiotic resistance. It provides background on immunomodulators and how certain herbs like ashwagandha, neem, tinospora cordifolia, and mint can modulate the immune system through effects on cytokines, immune cells, and phagocytosis. Several studies are summarized that show herbs like ashwagandha and tinospora cordifolia can improve performance parameters and immune responses in broiler chickens and quails. The document concludes that herbs have potential immunomodulatory properties through effects on macrophages, cytokines, and immune cells like NK cells.

1. Herbal Immunomodulators in
Poultry
Submitted by:
Dr Gurram Srinivas
RVD/17-11

4. • More focus on growth and production
• adverse effect on the immunological
parameters of poultry, thereby damaging the
natural defensive mechanism against various
microorganisms
• Due to antibiotic resistance- researchers are
thinking about herbal immunomodulators

5. Immunomodulator
• Immunomodulator is a substance which
stimulates or suppresses the components of
immune system including both innate and
adaptive immune responses
• The modulation of immune system by various
medicinal plant products are called as herbal
immunomodulator.

6. • As India is having a rich biodiversity of herbs
and medicinal plants, efforts should be made
in their identification and testing or validation
for their immunomodulatory properties and
to prepare therapeutic formulations

7. IMMUNOMODULATORY PROPERTIES
OF HERBAL PLANTS
• Multiple immunomodulatory actions including
modulation of cytokine secretion,
• histamine release,
• immunoglobulin production,
• cellular co-receptor expression,
• lymphocyte proliferation
• and phagocytosis promotion.

8. MECHANISM OF ACTION OF THE
HERBAL IMMUNOMODULATORS
• The main target – macrophages
• stimulation of phagocytosis, activation of
macrophages
• intracellular killing of pathogens by producing
effector molecules like free radical and nitric
oxide and cytokine production

9. • These cytokines may have direct function of
other immune cell population such as
activation of natural killer cell mediated
cytotoxicity or generation of cytotoxic T-
lymphocytes

10. Ashwagandha

11. Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory
properties of Ashwagandha (Withania
somnifera)

12. NEEM

13. Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties of Neem
(Azadirachta indica)

14. Tinospora cordifolia

15. MINT

16. Astragalus

17. PHYLLANTHUS EMBLICA

18. • Glycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice), Allium
sativum (garlic) and they can improve the
functions of lymphocytes, macrophages and
NK cells a s well as increase phagocytosis and
stimulate the interferon synthesis.
• Echinacea stimulates macrophages, cytokine
production, Natural Killer (NK) cells,
neutrophil and B-lymphocyte activity.

19. Immunostimulatory property of some
herbal plants

22. Herbal Immunostimulants
–Improve the activity of lymphocytes,
macrophages and NK cells,
–increase phagocytosis or stimulate the
interpheron synthesis

23. Author Work Results
Bhardwaj et
al. (2012)
Efficacy of ashwagandha (Withania
somnifera) supplementation on
haematological and immunological
parameters of Japanese quails
T10.0%,
T2 0.5%,
T3 1.0% and
T4, 1.5%,
the supplementation of
Ashwagandha root powder at 1
percent significant effect on body
weight, FCR, haematological
parameters and Immunological
study indicated significantly
(P<0.05) higher immunonoglobulins
and skin thickness
Mushtaq et al.
2012
Effect of Administration of Withania
somnifera on Some Hematological
and Immunological
Profile of Broiler Chicks.
at 10, 20 and 30g/L
Significantly Higher body weight
in all treated groups. An
increase in the values of Hb,
PCV and TLC and Antibodies
titers against IB and IBD were
significantly higher in all
treatment

24. Author Work Results
Gatne et al,
2010
Evaluation of Immunodulatory
effect of Stresroak Premix in
Broiler chick,
T1negative control,
T2 levamisol @ 15 mg/kg body,
T3 Stresroak @ 1 kg /tone
Results revealed that
the antibody titre, total proteins
and globulins were increased
significantly in the birds receiving
Stresroak. Histopathologically
varying degrees of
lympho-proliferative changes noted
which reveals increase number of
lymphocytes
Dwivedi et al.
2015
Growth Performance, Blood
Constituents and Carcass Traits of
Broiler Chicken as Affected by
Supplementation of Ashwagandha
(Withania somnifera)
and Mangrail (Nigella sativa).
T1 0.5 % ashwagandha,
T2 Mangrail 0.5%,
T3 mixture
The Hb, PCV increased and
Lower (P<0.05) heterophil:
lymphocyte ratio, and
decreased serum cholesterol

25. Author Work Results
Joshi et al
2015
Effect of dietary addition of
ashwagandha (Withania
somnifera) 1 g /kg and
guduchi
(Tinospora cordifolia)
powder 2 g/kg on broiler
performance
Results indicated that ashwagandha
(Withania somnifera) and guduchi (Tinospora
cordifolia) powder improved growth
performance and reduced mortality, but did
not have any effect on feed conversion ratio
and economics of feeding in broilers
Prasad et al,
2012
Studies on
Immunomodulatory Effects of
Ocimum sanctum and
Levamisole in Broiler Chicks
Vaccinated against Newcastle
Disease
A potential effect was found in the form of
increase in mean haemagglutination
inhibition (HI) antibody titer, serum mean
total protein, albumin and globulin
concentrations in O. sanctum-treated groups
rather than the control group at different
post-vaccination intervals

26. Author Work Results
Jadhav et al,
2014
Heat stress amelioration and
production performance in
layers supplemented with
herbal liquid anti-stressor
and immunomodulator
product
T1 where vitamin C at 100
g/tonne. Groups T2 and T3
were supplemented with
herbal liquid through water
for 7 weeks at 3 and 5
ml/100 birds/day,
respectively.
Higher egg production, egg weight in T2
and T3.
And lower serum cortisol, alkaline
phosphatase (ALP), SGPT and SGOT in
treatment groups compared to control.
Shyma et al,
2013
AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF
FOUR HERBS (Withania
somnifera, Tinospora
cordifolia,
Azadirachta indica AND E
CARE SE HERBAL) ON THE
PATHOGENESIS OF CHICKEN
INFECTIOUS
The chicks of all the herbal treatment groups
showed ameliorative effects as revealed by
reduced pathological lesions and changes
when compared with the positive virus
control group

27. Effect of herbal immune modulator and anti stress products
on growth parameters of Japanese quails at 35 days age.
Paramete
rs
T1 T2(Stressr
oak liquid)
T3 Withania
and Phyllanthus
T4
Glycrrhiza
glabra, Tribulus
terrestris and
Asparagas
racemosus
liquid
SEM
P-value
overall
feed
intake (g)
537.46 535.93 538.55 541.83 1.97 0.778
overall
weight
gain (g)
159.43b 173.93a 172.29a 173.09
a
1.33 0.001
overall
FCR
3.37b 3.08a 3.12a 3.13a 0.02 0.001

28. Effect of Different Herbal Immunomodulators on Immune
Status, Haematological and Serum Biochemical Parameters of
Japanese Quails During Summer Stress
Table 3: Effect of supplementation of herbal immunomodulator products on immunological and
serum biochemical profile of Japanese quails
Treatment Parameter
Skin
thickness
(mm)
serum
immuno
globulin
(mg/dl)
total
serum
protein
(g/dl)
albumin
(g/dl)
globulin
(g/dl)
A/G ratio Trigly-
cerides
(mg/dl)
Cholestrol
(mg/dl)
glucose
(mg/dl)
T1 1.92b
±0.05
2.37b
±0.02
4.39±0.0
3
1.28±0.0
4
3.10±0.04 0.41±0.03 143.35±1.
14
143.24±1.
55
125.92±1
.34
T2 2.50a±
0.05
2.67a
±0.02
4.44±0.0
2
1.27±0.0
6
3.17±0.02 0.40±0.04 142.23±0.
74
141.08±1.
25
125.30±1
.32
T3 2.47a
±0.04
2.68a
±0.02
4.39±0.0
2
1.24±0.0
5
3.17±0.01 0.38±0.05 142.39±1.
04
144.47±1.
56
125.36±1
.53
T4 2.47a
±0.02
2.65a
±0.02
4.39±0.0
2
1.24±0.0
4
3.14±0.03 0.39±0.07 142.26±0.
83
143.12±1.
25
124.70±1
.42

29. Table 2: Effect of supplementation of herbal immunomodulator products
on haematological
profile of Japanese quails
Treatment Parameter
TEC
(10⁶/µl)
TLC
(10³/µl)
PCV
(%)
Haemo-
globin
(g/dl)
MCV
(fl)
MCH
(pg)
MCHC
(%)
T1
2.67c±0.
07
27.42±0.
89
40.60c±0.
82
10.78c±0.
17
136.53b±1
.82
35.85b±0
.40
26.26±0.
38
T2
3.14ab±0.
10
27.17±0.
66
44.55b±1.
58
11.85b±0.
47
132.63b±1
.14
34.93b±0
.46
26.36±0.
25
T3
2.97b±0.
49
27.02±0.
40
42.15bc±1
.40
11.01bc±0
.37
131.15b±1
.78
34.13b±0
.44
27.71±1.
72
T4
3.27a±0.
05
27.75±0.
87
49.93a±0.
80
13.8a±0.2
1
161.88a±5
.35
43.38a±1
.42
26.86±0.
02

30. Efficacy of Herbal immunomodulator & Antistressor Products in Ameliorating Stress
And Improving Performance & Immunity in Broiler Bird”
S.No TRT Weight
gain (g)
/bird
Feed
intake
(g)/bird
Feed/g
ain
Leg
yield
(%)
Abdomi
nal Fat
(%)
Spleen
(%)
Bursa
(%)
T1 Control 1889 b 3232 b 1.71 c
20.83 c 1.98 a 0.155 c 0.123 c
T2
Stressroak
liquid
2062a 3071 a 1.49 a
22.30 bc 0.96 b 0.171 ab 0.145 ab
T3
AV/ESL/16
liquid
1931 b 3082 a 1.60 b
23.51 ab 1.14 b 0.170 abc 0.140 abc
T4
Stressroak
premix
1886 b 3059 a 1.62 bc
24.00 a 1.08 b 0.165 bc 0.155 a
T5
Geriforte
liquid
1851 b 3104 a 1.68 bc
24.23 ab 1.19 b 0.183 a 0.131bc
T6
Stresscheck
1925 b 3071 a 1.60 b
22.36 bc 0.99 b 0.183 a 0.148 ab
SEM 18.002 17.435 0.017
0.297 0.078 0.002 0.002
P -value 0.007 0.027 0.002
0.002 0.001 0.003 0.011

31. Effect of herbal immune modulator and anti stress
products on different blood parameters during 6th
week of broilers
PARAMETER
S
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 SEM P -value
WBC (103/uL) 27.2 a 27.7 a 27.2 ab 26.6 b 27.7 a 26.7 ab 1.16 0.04
RBC (106/ul) 3.02 ab 3.15 a 2.98 ab 2.76 b 3.24 a 3.04 ab 0.04 0.03
HGB (g/dL) 10.1 bc 11.0 ab 10.1 bc 9.6 c 11.4 a 10.7 ab 0.16 0.001
PCV (%) 39.6 bc 41.7 ab 38.9 bc 37.0 c 43.8 a 40.1 abc 0.58 0.01
MCV (fL) 136.53 132.63 131.15 134.73 136.55 133.78 0.65 0.92
MCH (pg) 35.8 34.9 34.1 34.9 35.4 33.5 0.33 0.39
MCHC (g/dL) 26.2 26.3 27.7 26.0 26.1 26.3 0.29 0.64
RDW (%) 9.35 8.83 8.80 8.66 8.40 8.23 0.18 0.64
PLT (103/uL) 60.66 ab 55.16 abc 54.16 bc 46.83 c 66.83 a 56.66 abc 1.81 0.03
MPV (fL) 6.01 6.13 5.95 5.60 6.05 5.66 0.74 0.20
PDW 19.33 19.41 19.48 19.00 19.43 19.03 0.81 0.35
PCT (%) 0.036 a 0.033 ab 0.032 ab 0.025 b 0.040 a 0.031 ab 0.001 0.05

32. Effect of herbal immune modulator and anti stress products on different
blood glucose and serum cholesterol during 4th week of broilers
PARAMETERS T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 SEM P VALUE
Blood glucose
(mg/dL)
214 cd 218 d 213 bcd 200 abc 196 ab 194 a 2.644 0.012
serum cholesterol
(mg/dL)
273 c 258 ab 259 ab 249 a 258 ab 264 bc 1.90 0.008
H/L ratio (%) 0.83 d 0.34 a 0.51 b 0.64 c 0.50 b 0.29 a 0.033 0.001
Cortisol ( mg/ml) 3.69 d 1.64 a 2.55 bc 3.21 cd 2.70 bc 2.02 ab 0.145 0.001

33. Effect of herbal immune modulator and anti stress products
on different blood glucose and serum cholesterol during 6th
week of broilers
PARAMETE
RS
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 SE
M
P VALUE
Blood glucose
(mg/dL)
209 c 185 a 198 abc 194 abc 202 bc 190 ab 2.31 0.03
serum
cholesterol
(mg/dL)
82.8 b 53.6 a 67.9 ab 76.6 b 72.0 b 68.7 ab 2.53 0.001
H/L ratio (%) 0.85 c 0.38 a 0.51 b 0.60 b 0.51 b 0.39 a 0.02
9
0.001
Cortisol
(mg/ml)
4.11 c 1.60 a 2.04 ab 2.43 b 2.17
ab
1.54 a 0.16
9
0.001

34. Returns over feed cost and Gain / loss over antibiotic or
control diet of broilers at market age (42 d).
Trt.
cod
e
Diets
Cumulati
ve feeding
cost / bird
(Rs)
Body wt
at
6 wks
(g)
Sale
amount*
(Rs / bird)
Returns
over feed
cost
(Rs / bird)
Gain / loss
over
control
(Rs / bird)
T1
Control 92.13 1933 164.31 72.17 0
T2
Stressroak liquid 88.37 2106 179.01 90.64 18.47
T3
AV/ESL/16
liquid
88.50 1975 167.88 79.37 7.20
T4
Stressroak
premix
87.47 1930 164.05 76.58 4.41
T5
Geriforte liquid 89.00 1895 161.08 72.08 -0.10
T6
Stresscheck 88.06 1969 167.37 79.31 7.14

35. CONCLUSION
• Herbs can be used as a good alternative
therapeutic aid to costly allopathic medicines
and boosting immune functions in poultry.
• Detailed scientific validation on different
HERBAL IMMUNOMADULATORS in poultry
would be a worthful research in future

36. THANK YOU

37. • Bhardwaj, R.K., A. Bhardwaj and S.K. Gangwar, 2012. Efficacy of ashwagandha (Withania
somnifera) supplementation on haematological and immunological parameters of Japanese
quails. Int. J. Sci. Nat., 3: 476-478.
• Mushtaq, M., F.R. Durrani, N. Imtiaz, U. Sadique, A. Hafeez, S. Akhtar and S. Ahmad, 2012.
Effect of administration of Withania somnifera on some hematological and immunological
profile of broiler chicks. Pak Vet. J., 32: 70-72.
• M.M.Gatne1, Rajashree Patil1, K. Ravikanth2, Maini Shivi*2, D.S.Rekhe. Evaluation of
Immunodulatory effect of Stresroak Premix in Broiler Chick. Veterinary World Vol.3(3):122-
125.
• V. Dwivedi, V.K. Singh*, D. Tewari, S. Gautam, V.B. Singh and D. Dwivedi. Growth
Performance, Blood Constituents and Carcass Traits of Broiler Chicken as Affected by
Supplementation of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and Mangrail (Nigella sativa). Indian
J. Anim. Nutr. 2015. 32 (4): 428-433.
• S S JOSHI1, P B INGLE2, S R BHAGWAT3, M M PAWAR4, K B PRAJAPATI5 and R C KULKARNI6.
Effect of dietary addition of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and guduchi (Tinospora
cordifolia) powder on broiler performance. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 85 (12): 1358–
1361,
• Prasad, Studies on Immunomodulatory Effects of Ocimum sanctum and Levamisole in Broiler
Chicks Vaccinated against Newcastle Disease Journal of Immunology and Immunopathology
Vol. 14, No. 1, January-June 2012: 14-21
• N. V. Jadhav1, B. Awati2, S. Kulkarni3, P. G. Waghmare4, M. D. Suranagi5, K. Ravikanth6,
M. Dandale6 and Shivi MainiHeat stress amelioration and production performance in layers
supplemented with herbal liquid anti-stressor product . Vol. 6(3), pp. 69-74, March, 2014
•

38. • Renu, S., N.K. Rakha, G. Sandeep and S.K. Mishra, 2003. Effect of Neem
(Azadirachta indica) leaf extract administration on immune responses of broiler
chickens. J. Immunol. Immunopathol., 5: 47-50.