Hepatoprotective effects of silibinin and chlorogenic acid standardised extract to alleviate the fatty liver syndrome and improve blood indices in caged-laying hens after the peak of production

This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of a mixture of Silybum marianum L. and Cynara cardunculus scolymus L. standardised extract (PHYTO-LAYER™) expressed as silibinin (2.4 g/L) and chlorogenic acid (2.2 g/L) content, respectively, provided intermittently to caged-laying hens to alleviate fatty liver syndromes, improve blood indices and health. In this study, 792 Lohmann LSL-White hens (41 weeks of age), randomly assigned to 2 replicated groups, control and treated (n = 396 each), were used. The treatment (1 mL/L) was supplied every 2 weeks for 7 days, at different time points (T0-T5) in a 7-week trial, by drinking water. At T0, T3 and T5, 13 identified hens/group were sampled for haematological analysis. At T5, all 13 hens per group were euthanised via cervical dislocation for organ weight, gut pH, and liver histological investigations. The treatment improved red blood cell, haemoglobin, hematocrit, and the serum antioxidant activity (P < 0.05). In treated hens, a reduction of liver weight and serum alanine aminotransferase activity was evidenced, associated with a reduction of liver steatosis cases and severity, evaluated histologically (P < 0.05). Other blood and serum indices were not affected by the treatment (P > 0.05). At T5, in treated hens, the duodenum (proximal tract) showed unexpectedly higher pH, compared to the control hens (P < 0.05). This study showed that the combined phytoextracts administration is useful in improving the liver health of caged-laying hens affected by liver disorders, reducing liver steatosis, associated with an upgrade of main blood indices.