Table 3 Effect of Puerarin on the immune function of chicks exposed to Salmonella Enteritidis

Day 10

 TNF-α(pg/ml)

67.57

62.47

67.59

66.62

66.74

64.61

0.89

P = 0.533

 IFN-γ(pg/ml)

52.94

56.18

55.52

52.80

54.00

55.69

0.66

P = 0.557

 IL-1β (pg/ml)

370.01^d

539.85^a

489.63^b

410.07 ^cd

423.26^c

447.18^bc

10.17

P < 0.001

 IL-6 (pg/ml)

20.71^d

27.12^a

25.30^ab

21.20 ^cd

23.42^bcd

23.82^bc

0.45

P < 0.001

 IgG (ug/ml)

1841.54^bc

1668.19^c

1823.99^bc

2128.34^a

2031.00^ab

2019.10^ab

35.26

P < 0.001

 IgM (ug/ml)

607.76^ab

523.33^c

602.73^ab

648.84^a

649.14^a

554.75^bc

10.14

P < 0.001

 IgA (ug/ml)

300.33^d

317.18^c

333.76^b

348.08^a

343.39^ab

316.14^c

3.31

P < 0.001

Day 17

 TNF-α(pg/ml)

62.74^c

71.37^a

66.31^b

63.42^bc

63.77^bc

66.10^b

0.61

P = 0.006

 IFN-γ(pg/ml)

51.76 ^cd

60.31^a

58.15^ab

50.89^d

54.80^bcd

56.69^abc

0.74

P < 0.001

 IL-1β (pg/ml)

381.80^e

531.75^a

498.50^ab

423.06^de

445.12 ^cd

466.02^bc

9.04

P < 0.001

 IL-6 (pg/ml)

21.37^c

29.86^a

24.79^b

20.68^c

24.59^b

23.78^b

0.53

P < 0.001

 IgG (ug/ml)

1800.63^ab

1651.07^b

1790.19^ab

1945.55^a

1721.28^b

1698.65^b

24.17

P = 0.003

 IgM (ug/ml)

613.63^ab

518.26^c

590.91^ab

657.40^a

631.82^ab

566.12^bc

9.72

P < 0.001

 IgA (ug/ml)

336.32^abc

326.13^bc

330.45^bc

348.73^a

340.19^ab

322.39^c

2.40

P = 0.009