Rodríguez-Flores JR¹, Sánchez-Hernández CI², Garcia-Delgado L¹, Rodriguez-Yañez Y⁴, Minjarez B⁴, Reynoso-Orozco R⁵ and Mireles-Flores S³*

¹Department of Veterinary Medicine, University Center for Biological and Agricultural Sciences, Camino Ramón Padilla Sánchez No. 2100, Nextipac, Zapopan, Jalisco, México
²Intern in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University Center for Biological and Agricultural Sciences, Camino Ramón Padilla Sánchez No. 2100, Nextipac, Zapopan, Jalisco, México
³Department of Animal Production, University Center for Biological and Agricultural Sciences, Camino Ramón Padilla Sánchez No. 2100, Nextipac, Zapopan, Jalisco, México
⁴Department of Agricultural Production, University Center for Biological and Agricultural Sciences, Camino Ramón Padilla Sánchez No. 2100, Nextipac, Zapopan, Jalisco, México
⁵Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University Center for Biological and Agricultural Sciences, Camino Ramón Padilla Sánchez No. 2100, Nextipac, Zapopan, Jalisco, México

*Corresponding Author: Mireles-Flores S,Department of Animal Production, University, Center for Biological and Agricultural Sciences, Camino Ramón Padilla Sánchez No. 2100, Nextipac, Zapopan, Jalisco, México.

Received: March 26, 2026; Published: June 12, 2026

Abstract

For decades, the state of Jalisco, Mexico has been the leading producer of table eggs in Mexico, maintaining a share exceeding 50% of the national volume. The use of plant leaf, stem, and root extracts in poultry production, which can enhance egg quality and reduce the use of synthetic additives and their negative effects, are consider relevant in the industry. Medicinal plant leaves such as Costus pictus D, Don, or “insulin plant,” can also be used as a feed additive to support the biological function of birds, and given its known activity on calcium physiology, it is propose as an alternative to improve, among other aspects, egg quality. The effect of the leaves of Costus pictus D. Don was blended into the drinking water of 150-week-old Lohmann hens, just as it is consume by people seeking its antidiabetic benefits, in two treatment groups. Egg quality and hematological parameters (humoral and cellular fractions) were measured. The preliminary results obtained in this study allow us to propose Costus pictus D. Don as a highly recommended additive to improve production, egg quality and leukocyte response in Lohmann hens during their productive development.

Keywords: Costus pictus; Egg Quality; Leukocytes; Laying Hens

References

1. Al-Romaiyan A., et al. “Costus pictus extracts stimulate insulin secretion from mouse and human islets of Langerhans in vitro”. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry6 (2016): 1051-1058.
2. Azodo L C., et al. “Response of Starter Broiler Birds Administered with Costus afer Extract”. Asian Journal of Biological Sciences3 (2025): 633-637.
3. Baba Y and Kurosaki T. “Role of Calcium Signaling in B Cell Activation and Biology”. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology 393 (2016): 143-174.
4. Barbieri Petrelli G., et al. “El neutrófilo y su importancia en la enfermedad periodontal”. Avances en Periodoncia e Implantología Oral1 (2005): 11-16.
5. Braun EJ and Sweazea KL. “Glucose regulation in birds”. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B 1 (2008): 1-9.
6. Chango M. “Boletín El Sitio Avícola”. Conferencia durante el XXIV Congreso Latinoamericano de Avicultura, Guayaquil, Ecuador (2015).
7. Das, H.; Lacin, E. The effect of diferent photoperiods and stocking densities on fattening performance, Carcass and some stress parameters in broilers”. Israel Journal of Veterinary Medicine 69 (2014): 211-220.
8. De A. “Wnt/Ca2+ signaling pathway: a brief overview”. Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica (Shanghai)10 (2011): 745-56.
9. Ernst IM., et al. “Adenine Dinucleotide Second Messengers and T-lymphocyte Calcium Signaling”. Frontiers in Immunology 4 (2013): 259.
10. García, E. “Modificaciones al sistema de clasificación climática de Kopen”. 5ª Edición (2004).
11. México: Instituto de geografía, UNAM.
12. Gaskins AJ., et al. “EARTH Study Team. Dietary patterns and outcomes of assisted reproduction”. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 6 (2019): 567.e1-567.e18.
13. Gautron J., et al. “Review: Production factors affecting the quality of chicken table eggs and egg products in Europe”. Animal 16 (2022): 100425.
14. Genovese KJ., et al. “The avian heterophil”. Developmental and Comparative Immunology 41 (2013): 334-340.
15. Gilon P., et al. “Calcium signaling in pancreatic β-cells in health and in Type 2 diabetes”. Cell Calcium5 (2014): 340-361.
16. Gray N., et al. “Differential Upregulation and Functional Activity of S1PR1 in Human Peripheral Blood Basophils of Atopic Patients”. International Journal of Molecular Sciences24(2022): 16117.
17. Hofmann T., et al. “Impact of Housing Environment on the Immune System in Chickens: A Review”. Animals (Basel)7 (2020): 1138.
18. Hrabia A. “Chapter 35 - Reproduction in the female”. Editor (s): Colin G. Scanes, Sami Dridi, Sturkie's Avian Physiology (Seventh Edition), Academic Press (2022): 941-986.
19. Igugo RU. “An assessment of the use of varying levels of Moringa oleifera leaf meal as a substitute for vitamin+mineral premix in finisher broiler diet”. Journal of Experimental Research 2 (2014): 88-92.
20. Jacobson DA and Shyng SL. “Ion Channels of the Islets in Type 2 Diabetes”. Journal of Molecular Biology5 (2020): 1326-1346.
21. Jahejo AR., et al. “Immunomodulatory and growth promoting effects of basil (Ocimum basilicum) and ascorbic acid in heat stressed broiler chickens”. Pakistan Journal of Zoology 51 (2019): 801.
22. Jung CH., et al. “Quercetin reduces high-fat diet induced fat accumulation in the liver by regulating lipid metabolism genes”. Phytotherapy Research 27 (2013): 139-143.
23. Kalilu R., et al. “Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Isa Brown Cockerels Fed Graded Levels of Air Dried Neem Leaf and Bark Meal”. Brazilian Journal of Science7 (2024): 115-125.
24. King LB and Freedman BD. “B-lymphocyte calcium influx”. Immunology Review1 (2009): 265-277.
25. Liao K., et al. “The role of platelets in the regulation of tumor growth and metastasis: the mechanisms and targeted therapy”. MedComm5 (2023): e350.
26. Luan S and Wang C. “Calcium Signaling Mechanisms Across Kingdoms”. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology 37 (2021): 311-340.
27. Maitin-Shepard M., et al. “Food, nutrition, and fertility: from soil to fork”. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition2 (2024): 578-589.
28. Makita T., et al. “Calcium Detection in Secretion Granules of Avian Oviduct by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-dispersive X-Ray Microanalysis (EDX) 1”. Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry 31 (1983): 219-221.
29. NOM-033-SAG/ZOO-2014.
30. Maxwell MH and Robertson GW. “The avian basophilic leukocyte: A review”. World's Poultry Science Journal 51 (1995): 307-325.
31. Organización Mundial del Huevo. “La producción mundial de huevos sigue creciendo - febrero)”. World Egg Organisation (2021).
32. Rezk AM., et al. “Quercetin and lithium chloride potentiate the protective effects of carvedilol against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in high-fructose, high-fat diet-fed Swiss albino mice independent of renal lipid signaling”. Chembio Interact 333 (2021): 109307.
33. Rodríguez-Yáñez Y., et al. “Papel de Costus spp. en la regulación de la hiperglucemia”. TIP Revista Especializada En Ciencias Químico-Biológicas 28 (2026).
34. Ruíz EM and Tabares JG. “La sanidad del agua de bebida en la avicultura”. Selecciones Avícolas (2012): 1-14.
35. Sánchez SL. “AviNews: Jalisco sigue como líder nacional en huevo en México”. GCMA (2025).
36. Scahan P. “An Egg Shell: A Nutritional Profile and Health Benefits”. Research in Pharmacy 13 (2023): 1-7.
37. Sweazea KL. “Revisiting glucose regulation in birds - A negative model of diabetes complications”. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 262 (2022): 110778.
38. Takada K., et al. “Female reproductive tract-organ axes”. Frontiers in Immunology 14 (2023): 1110001.
39. United States Department of Agriculture. “Egg-grading manual (Agricultural Handbook No. 75)”. Agricultural Marketing Service (2000).
40. Wang B., et al. “Quercetin Regulates Calcium and Phosphorus Metabolism Through the Wnt Signaling Pathway in Broilers”. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8 (2022): 786519.
41. Waqas MY., et al. “Characterization of the ultrastructure in the uterovaginal junction of the hen”. Poultry Science9 (2019): 2112-2119.
42. Zhang R., et al. “Antidiabetic activity of isoquercetin in diabetic KK -A (y) mice”. Nutrition and Metabolism 8 (2011): 85.

Citation

Citation: Mireles-Flores S., et al. “Preliminary Data on the Effect of Costus pictus D. Don on productive, reproductive and hematological parameters in lay- ing hens Lohmann". Acta Scientific Veterinary Sciences 8.1 (2026): 26-34.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Mireles-Flores S., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.