This study investigated the effects of Artemisia argyi extract (AAE) on broilers challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A total of 96 Arbour Acres broilers (1-d-old) were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two dietary treatments (AAE at 0 or 1000 mg/kg) and two immunological challenge treatments (saline or LPS). On d 14, 16, 18 and 20, the broilers were injected intra-abdominally with LPS solution at 500 μg/kg of body weight or an equivalent amount of sterile saline. Blood, liver, spleen and small intestine were collected on day 21. The increased relative weights of the thymus and spleen induced by LPS were significantly decreased by AAE supplementation. The level of serum nitric oxide (NO) and the activity of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) were significantly compromised by AAE inclusion. Dietary AAE significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and iNOS in the different tissues of LPS-challenged broilers. The AAE supplementation tended to increase the levels of serum GSH-Px and CAT, but significantly reduced the level of serum malondialdehyde (MDA). Collectively, feeding AAE to LPS-challenged broilers could decrease serum NO level, maintain the relative weight of internal organs, enhance the antioxidant capacity, and inhibit TLR4/NF-κB signalling pathway at the transcriptional level.

• Highlights

• AAE inclusion significantly inhibited the serum NO level, and the activity of iNOS induced by LPS.

• AAE supplementation tended to increase the levels of serum GSH-Px and CAT, but significantly reduced the level of serum MDA.

• Feeding AAE to the LPS-challenged broilers reduced the expression of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB in the liver, spleen and small intestine.

本研究调查了艾蒿的影响在用脂多糖（LPS）攻击的肉鸡上提取（AAE）。总共96例Arbor Acres肉鸡（1-d大）被分配为2×2因子分解法，并接受两种饮食治疗（0或1000 mg / kg的AAE）和两种免疫学刺激治疗（盐水或LPS）。在第14、16、18和20天，给肉鸡腹腔注射LPS溶液，剂量为500μg/ kg体重或等量的无菌盐水。在第21天收集血液，肝，脾和小肠。通过补充AAE显着降低了LPS诱导的胸腺和脾的相对重量增加。AAE的加入显着损害了血清一氧化氮（NO）的水平和诱导型一氧化氮合酶（iNOS）的活性。日粮AAE显着抑制Toll样受体4（TLR4）的mRNA表达，LPS肉鸡不同组织中的髓样分化因子88，核因子-κB（NF-κB）和iNOS。补充AAE倾向于增加血清GSH-Px和CAT的水平，但显着降低血清丙二醛（MDA）的水平。总之，将AAE喂给LPS攻击的肉鸡可以降低血清NO水平，维持内部器官的相对重量，增强抗氧化能力，并在转录水平上抑制TLR4 /NF-κB信号通路。

• 强调

• AAE夹杂物显着抑制血清NO水平和LPS诱导的iNOS活性。

• 补充AAE倾向于增加血清GSH-Px和CAT的水平，但显着降低血清MDA的水平。

• 向LPS挑战的肉鸡饲喂AAE会降低肝脏，脾脏和小肠中TLR4，MyD88和NF-κB的表达。