{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T22:48:18Z","timestamp":1787870898815,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,24]],"date-time":"2025-10-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761264000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Recognizing the growing demand for sustainable and natural alternatives in poultry production, this study evaluated the effects of dietary inclusion of artichoke (\n                    <jats:italic>Cynara scolymus<\/jats:italic>\n                    ) leaf powder (ALP) and astaxanthin on growth performance, hematological and biochemical profiles, hepatic and antioxidant enzyme activities, and gut microbiota in broiler chickens. A total of 1,080 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to nine dietary treatments (six replicates each) for 35 days: a control diet (T1) received basal diet without additives; T2 and T3: 60 and 120\u2009mg astaxanthin\/kg feed; T4 and T5: 1 and 2\u2009g ALP\/kg feed; T6: 60\u2009mg astaxanthin\u2009+\u20091\u2009g ALP\/kg feed; T7: 60\u2009mg astaxanthin\u2009+\u20092\u2009g ALP\/kg feed; T8: 120\u2009mg astaxanthin\u2009+\u20091\u2009g ALP\/kg feed; T9: 120\u2009mg astaxanthin\u2009+\u20092\u2009g ALP\/kg feed. The results showed that the groups fed T2 and T6 significantly enhanced growth performance, increasing live body weight (LBW, p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01) and body weight gain (BWG, p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01) while reducing feed conversion ratio (FCR, p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01). The groups receiving T2, T6, and T9 lowered heterophil counts and heterophil\/lymphocyte (H\/L) ratios (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01). The T4 group reduced cholesterol (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01), while groups receiving T4, T5, T8, and T9 decreased uric acid levels (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01). Total protein increased in the T5 and T6 groups (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01). Antioxidant enzyme activities improved, with elevated glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in all supplemented groups, particularly T9 group (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01), and increased catalase (CAT) in broilers fed T6 and T7 (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.05). All supplemented groups reduced\n                    <jats:italic>\n                      <jats:italic>E. coli<\/jats:italic>\n                    <\/jats:italic>\n                    (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.05) and increased\n                    <jats:italic>\n                      <jats:italic>Lactobacillus<\/jats:italic>\n                    <\/jats:italic>\n                    counts in the cecum (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01). In conclusion, astaxanthin and ALP supplementation, particularly 60\u2009mg astaxanthin with 1\u2009g ALP (T6), enhanced broiler growth, antioxidant status, metabolic health, and gut microbiota.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0328784","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,24]],"date-time":"2025-10-24T17:30:31Z","timestamp":1761327031000},"page":"e0328784","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Effect of dietary inclusion of artichoke (Cynara scolymus) leaf powder and astaxanthin on productive performance, hematological and biochemical profiles, hepatic and antioxidant enzyme activities, and gut microbiota in broiler chickens"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Saad Naji","family":"Nasser","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5660-0273","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mehran","family":"Torki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fadhil Rasoul Abbas","family":"Al-Khafaji","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shahab Ghazi","family":"Harsini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ali Ahmad Alaw","family":"Qotbi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,24]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0328784.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27606","DOI":"10.3402\/fnr.v59.27606","article-title":"Role of poultry meat in a balanced diet aimed 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