Assessment of the combined effects of the ‘’Bitter principles’’ of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium from River Benue Valley on respiratory diseases in poultry management

Abstract

The bitter principles perform diverse antibiotic roles in organisms. This study was conducted to compare the antibiotic potentials of the bitter principles present in bitter leaves. Samples were collected from the rich alluvial soil of the River Benue Valley to ensure the presence of adequate nutrients in these vegetables. The analyses were carried out using standard biochemical methods. The extracts—bitter leaf water (BLW) and mashed leaves—were used respectively in the treatment of the birds. The organoleptic properties of the samples were satisfactory. The proximate composition of Vernonia amygdalina showed moisture content of 9.7%, crude ash of 7.46%, crude fibre of 5.14%, crude protein of 30.2%, crude fat of 7.5%, and carbohydrates of 40%. Gongronema latifolium yielded 7.43% moisture, 10.6% crude ash, 9.8% crude fibre, 20.0% crude protein, 7.17% crude fat, and 45.0%carbohydrates. The phytochemical analyses of both bitter leaves revealed that they possess high nutritional and medicinal value. This study demonstrated that the bitter principles in these vegetables are phytochemicals with notable antibiotic properties. The bitter principles were found to synergistically alleviate the signs and symptoms of poultry catarrh and cough, hence referred to in this study as “green antibiotics