Table 5.

Effect of nuciferine on the plasma and hepatic lipid profile in broiler chickens.

Item	Supplemental nuciferine (mg/kg)
	0 mg/kg	25 mg/kg	100 mg/kg	400 mg/kg
Plasma TG (mmol/L)	0.68 ± 0.09	0.64 ± 0.11	0.59 ± 0.06∗,#	0.45 ± 0.04∗∗,##
Hepatic TG (mmol/g)	2.32 ± 0.41	2.11 ± 0.81	1.94 ± 0.20∗	1.89 ± 0.19∗
Plasma TC (mmol/L)	3.68 ± 0.37	3.57 ± 0.51	3.35 ± 0.36	3.22 ± 0.21∗
Plasma NEFA (μmol/L)	899.38 ± 23.35	847.01 ± 61.02	844.2 ± 101.5∗	837.91 ± 91.04∗
Hepatic NEFA (μmol/L)	53.09 ± 4.32	52.31 ± 9.08	40.15 ± 5.89∗,#	36.04 ± 7.53∗∗,##
Plasma LDL (mmol/L)	0.96 ± 0.13	0.91 ± 0.07	0.81 ± 0.06∗	0.71 ± 0.04∗∗
Plasma HDL (mmol/L)	1.52 ± 0.23	1.47 ± 0.28	1.42 ± 0.35	1.37 ± 0.25
HL (U/mg)	2.07 ± 0.23	2.09 ± 0.46	3.79 ± 0.17∗∗,##	3.45 ± 0.11∗∗,##
Hepatic glycogen (mg/g)	2.91 ± 0.71	3.14 ± 0.73	4.07 ± 0.39∗	3.94 ± 0.45∗

Data are presented as means ± SEM. Each nuciferine-treated group represents 12 chickens at the age of 42 d.

Abbreviations: HDL, high-density lipoprotein; HL, hepatic lipase; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; NEFA, nonesterified fatty acid; TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglycerides.

^∗P < 0.05 indicates statistically significant differences when compared with the control group.

^∗∗P < 0.01 indicates statistically significant differences when compared with the control group.

^#P < 0.05 indicates statistically significant differences when compared with the group treated with 25 mg/kg of nuciferine.

^##P < 0.01 indicates statistically significant differences when compared with the group treated with 25 mg/kg of nuciferine.