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Introduction
Phytogenic feed additives have been shown to have advantageous effects on normal intestinal functions, overall performance of birds (feed intake, feed conversion ratio, body weight gain, nutrient digestibility, egg production and carcass characteristics), meat quality and storage safety (Abd El-Hack et al., 2016; Alagawany et al., 2017). Origanum vulgare L (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic plant; growing freely in most of European countries (Robu, 2004). The pharmacodynamic effects of O. vulgare extract is considered to be due to its bioactive ingredients such as thymol and carvacrol, which act in synergistic manner. It has various principal actions including as an antispasmodic, diuretic, antimicrobial broad spectrum (bactericidal, fungicidal, and viricid), antiparasitic, stomachic and as an immunomodulator agent. Results related to the effect of O. vulgare essential oil addition in poultry rations on haematological indices are scarce (Mohiti-Asli et al., 2016). In this article, the chemical composition and structure, biological activities and beneficial applications of O. vulgare in nutrition and its effect on health aspects of poultry are described.
Scientific classification and anatomical structure
Scientific systematic grouping of the oregano plant is shown in Table 1. In addition, the basic anatomy and main ingredients of O. vulgare are shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively.
Table 1 Composition of Origanum vulgare assessed by GC-MS analysis (Coccimiglio et al., 2016).
| Peak | Retention time | Area % | Compound |
|---|---|---|---|
| (min) | |||
| 1 | 8.959 | 6.900 | 1-Methyl-4-(1-methylethyl) benzene- (p-cumene) |
| 2 | 9.664 | 1.904 | 1-Methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-1,4-cyclohexadiene (γ-terpinene) |
| 3 | 13.113 | 2.110 | 1-Methoxy-4-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl) benzene (creosol) |
| 4 | 14.072 | 25.008 | 2-(1-Methylethyl)-5-methylphenol (thymol) |
| 5 | 14.263 | 59.468 | 2-Methyl-5-(1-methylethyl)-phenol (carvacrol) |
| 6 | 19.327 | 0.560 | 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol (phytol) |
| 7 | 25.600 | 4.050 | 1-Octacosanol |
Figure1
Basic anatomy of oregano plant.
[Figure omitted. See PDF]
Figure 2
The main ingredients of the oregano oil.
[Figure omitted. See PDF]
Biological activities and beneficial aspects in poultry
Natural feed ingredients have shown beneficial impacts in the cell wall of the gastrointestinal tract, intestinal functions, the overall productivity of birds, meat quality and storage safety. Oregano can induce a marked improvement on the intestinal microbiota and ileal villus height of broilers when combined with attapulgite in a ratio 15 mg/kg of oregano to 2.4 g/kg of attapulgite (Skoufos et al., 2016). Bozkurt et al. (2009) studied the effect of (0.00 and 1.0 g/kg...