Effects of Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Leaf Extract (BLE) on Performance, Blood Biochemistry, Antioxidant Status and Oxidative Stability of the Meat of Broiler Chickens

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of basil (Ocimum basilicum) leaf extract (BLE) in drinking water on growth performance, hepatic and serum-antioxidant related parameters, enzyme activity and biochemical parameters of serum,  and breast muscle lipid peroxidation of (after storage at ۲-۳°C,  for ۱, ۷ and ۱۴ d).  A total of ۴۵۰ one-day-old male broiler chickens of Ross ۳۰۸ were randomly divided to three groups, with five replicates of ۳۰ birds and allocated to the following treatments including control (only drinking water), or drinking water supplemented with either ۳۰۰ or ۶۰۰ ppm of BLE. At the end of the experiment (day ۴۲), Two birds were randomly selected from each cage and decapitated. There were no significant effects of dietary treatments on body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of the broilers. Basil leaf extract significantly increased the hepatic catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities and decreased lipid peroxidation in the liver and serum. Serum-enzyme activity (aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase) and biochemical parameters (low density lipoprotein and cholesterol) were significantly decreased by basil leaf extract. Moreover, BLE significantly reduced the malondialdehyde formation in breast muscle during storage period.  In conclusion, supplementation of basil leaf extract significantly increased the antioxidant capacity of broilers and consequently increased the oxidative stability of frozen meat.