Effects of Leontopodium alpinum supplementation on blood parameters, hepatic histology, and gene expression in broiler chickens

feed). Reductions in serum ALT and AST activities (p < 0.001), TCH (p = 0.001), and TG (p = 0.014) were observed in group E2. E1 showed the most favorable coagulation profile in the case of FIB (p = 0.038), TT (p = 0.041), and PT (p = 0.013), compared to groups E2 and C. Hematological analysis showed increased RBC (p = 0.007), hemoglobin (p = 0.037), WBC (p = 0.001), neutrophils (p = 0.022), and decreased monocytes (p = 0.039) in group E2. Expression of metabolic regulators FASN (E1, p = 0.018; E2, p = 0.007), NRF1 (E2 vs. C, p = 0.002; E2 vs. E1, p = 0.033), PPARA (E2 vs. C, p = 0.002; E2 vs. E1, p = 0.009), and UGT1A1 (E2 vs. C, p = 0.001) was reduced in a dose-dependent manner. HMOX1 (p = 0.003), NFE2L2 (E2 vs. C, p = 0.021), and NQO1 (E2 vs. C, p = 0.003) were downregulated in E2. L. alpinum (E2) enhances antioxidant capacity and metabolic performance in birds without histopathological or hemostatic side effects.