Tolerance of chickens to acute and sub-acute intravenous administration of raw filtered honey.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated tolerance and immune response in 30 chickens following intravenous (IV) administration of filtered, raw honey.

METHODS

In the acute trial, 10 birds (one male and one female per dose) received a single IV infusion of honey at 0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, or 4.0 mL/kg and were monitored for 7 days. In the sub-acute trial, 20 birds received three IV infusions at 0.0, 1.0, or 3.0 mL/kg at 48-h intervals over 5 days, with at least six birds per treatment group, and were monitored for 22 days. At the end of each trial, birds were bled, euthanized, necropsied, and tissues (gonads, heart, liver, lung, kidney, spleen and vein) were collected for histopathology.

RESULTS

No adverse clinical signs, significant gross lesions, or histopathological changes attributable to treatment were observed. No differences were found in plasma chemistry, peripheral blood cytology, leukocyte immunophenotypes, or cytokine levels between honey-treated birds and controls in the sub-acute trial.

CONCLUSION

Chickens tolerated acute IV doses up to 4 mL/kg and multiple sub-acute infusions up to 3 mL/kg of raw, filtered honey without overt adverse systemic effects under the study conditions.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Apitherapy using honeybee products is an emerging alternative treatment. However, safety and efficacy data, particularly for intravenous administration in avian species, remain limited.