Effects of modified pulsatilla decoction on avian colibacillosis and concentrations of nitrogen oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum

To investigate the mechanism of the Chinese herbal formula modified pulsatilla decoction (MPD) on chicken colibacillosis, the oral herbal liquid was used to treat chickens experimentally infected with Escherichia coli. The serum nitrogen oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations -were determined. The results showed that the MPD oral liquid administrated at a dose of 1.5, 1.0 and 0.5 ml/kg·BW achieved effective rates of 70, 82 and 84% in the chickens infected with E. coli, respectively. The effective rates of the MPD oral liquid treated groups were significantly higher than that of the challenged group (p <0.01). The MPD oral liquid at a dose of 1.0 ml/kg·BW reduced serum NO and TNF-α concentrations. Therefore, the MPD preparation has good curative effects on chicken colibacillosis, and the efficacy may be achieved by inhibiting the increase of serum NO and TNF-α concentrations caused by E. coli infection and resisting endotoxin-induced factors, which protects the body from inflammatory injury and controls the development of colibacillosis.   Key words: Colibacillosis, Chinese herbal medicine, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α.