Changes in Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Cockerels Pre-Administered With Nigella Sativa Seed Powder and Experimentally Challenged With a Very Virulent Infectious Bursal Disease Virus

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an immunosuppressive viral infection in poultry, primarily affecting young chickens and predisposing them to secondary infections.The disease is caused by the IBD virus (IBDV), with the very virulent strain (vvIBDV) causing acute clinical disease, high mortality, and significant economic losses in poultry production. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in oxidative stress biomarkers in cockerels pre-administered with Nigella sativa seed powder (NSSP) and experimentally challenged with a very virulent infectious bursal disease virus. Sixty, one-day-old Dominant black marshal cockerel (DBMC) chicks were purchased. All the chicks were vaccinated against Newcastle disease using ND vaccine La Sota at day 7 and 17 days of age (doa). Birds in groups A (Negative control) and B (Positive control) were administered feed only; and C were administered the NSSP + feed consecutively from day 21 to 27 doa. At 28 doa, birds in groups B and C were challenged with a vvIBDV orally. Prior to challenge with vvIBDV, blood was collected from all the cockerels via the brachial vein and serum was harvested..The serum was assayed for antibodies against IBDV using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and confirmed to be below protective level. Blood (2 mL) was collected from cockerels pre-challenge (day 0), and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 14 days post-challenge (dpc), emptied into a labelled plain tube, and the serum obtained was assayed for oxidative stress biomarkers determination. The results revealed Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly higher in group C than in group B. The serum catalase (CAT) activity, Glutathione peroxidase activity,and Malondialdehyde concentration were significantly lower in group C compared to group B. The overall changes in serum oxidative stress biomarkers changes were less severe in group C than in group B. Nigella sativa seed powder if incorporated into poultry diets could serve as a preventive measure to counteract oxidative stress associated with vvIBDV infection.