Table 5 The effect of silymarin on the serum biochemistry of laying hens

week 4

AST, U/L

42.43 ± 13.94^a

21.50 ± 9.54^b

30.60 ± 10.45^ab

26.42 ± 6.74^b

31.97 ± 8.70^ab

0.002

0.322

0.005

ALT, U/L

3.17 ± 0.33

2.90 ± 0.24

3.32 ± 1.00

3.30 ± 0.45

3.16 ± 0.57

0.309

0.615

0.819

TC, mmol/L

4.35 ± 1.25

5.28 ± 0.72

5.42 ± 1.89

5.45 ± 1.31

6.02 ± 1.67

0.390

0.069

0.706

TG, mmol/L

4.99 ± 1.12^b

5.98 ± 2.05^b

5.76 ± 1.33^b

5.86 ± 1.00^b

7.75 ± 1.35^a

0.034

0.007

0.339

HDL-C, mmol/L

3.37 ± 1.06

3.03 ± 0.47

2.59 ± 0.58

2.96 ± 0.32

2.96 ± 0.79

0.452

0.331

0.171

LDL-C, mmol/L

1.65 ± 0.33^b

2.58 ± 0.47^a

1.69 ± 0.39^b

2.32 ± 0.43^a

2.56 ± 0.43^a

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

0.803

VLDL, mmol/L

19.84 ± 1.78^b

20.09 ± 2.00^b

23.22 ± 0.76^a

22.93 ± 1.43^a

24.11 ± 2.06^a

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

0.546

week 8

AST, U/L

23.56 ± 2.31^b

24.43 ± 5.88^b

44.54 ± 12.58^a

48.98 ± 9.99^a

28.21 ± 7.55^b

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

ALT, U/L

2.97 ± 0.97

3.30 ± 1.18

2.90 ± 0.77

3.09 ± 0.33

3.07 ± 0.77

0.862

0.319

0.969

TC, mmol/L

4.40 ± 1.58

5.08 ± 1.65

5.23 ± 1.76

5.77 ± 1.37

4.10 ± 1.51

0.392

0.974

0.087

TG, mmol/L

5.31 ± 1.72

5.91 ± 1.23

6.03 ± 1.40

7.43 ± 2.34

5.41 ± 1.43

0.219

0.429

0.133

HDL-C, mmol/L

4.30 ± 1.13

3.53 ± 1.15

3.31 ± 0.87

4.14 ± 1.54

3.56 ± 1.15

0.549

0.572

0.439

LDL-C, mmol/L

2.37 ± 0.55

2.24 ± 0.46

2.21 ± 0.42

2.25 ± 0.58

1.97 ± 0.52

0.745

0.240

0.772

VLDL, mmol/L

24.44 ± 5.05

23.10 ± 2.19

25.11 ± 2.80

25.45 ± 3.59

25.18 ± 3.02

0.760

0.395

0.920

week 12

AST, U/L

23.81 ± 4.77^a

30.17 ± 7.03^a

16.10 ± 2.40^b

23.96 ± 4.99^a

25.05 ± 5.18^a

0.002

0.578

0.154

ALT, U/L

3.96 ± 0.51^a

3.71 ± 0.32^ab

2.98 ± 0.54^b

3.36 ± 0.78^ab

3.10 ± 0.75^b

0.048

0.013

0.246

TC, mmol/L

8.94 ± 1.58^a

6.51 ± 2.09^ab

4.77 ± 1.82^b

5.66 ± 1.96^b

5.89 ± 1.78^b

0.023

0.018

0.019

TG, mmol/L

8.61 ± 1.32^a

7.00 ± 0.86^b

6.19 ± 1.03^b

6.45 ± 1.46^b

7.60 ± 1.33^ab

0.015

0.114

0.002

HDL-C, mmol/L

8.53 ± 2.03^a

6.76 ± 1.74^b

6.84 ± 0.92^b

5.42 ± 0.98^bc

4.87 ± 0.73^c

0.005

 < 0.001

0.658

LDL-C, mmol/L

2.30 ± 0.47^a

1.86 ± 0.51^a

1.32 ± 0.21^b

1.26 ± 0.28^bc

0.84 ± 0.31^c

0.001

 < 0.001

0.368

VLDL, mmol/L

17.87 ± 0.98^b

15.55 ± 2.48^b

22.61 ± 2.9^a

15.73 ± 1.64^b

22.94 ± 1.05^a

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

0.100