Effect of supplemental lactic acid bacteria on growth performance, glutathione turnover and aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> removal in lambs

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on growth performance, glutathione turnover, aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> (AFB<sub>1</sub>) residue and AFB<sub>1</sub>-DNA adduct in growing lambs. Diets were a 2 × 2 factorial design, including AFB<sub>1</sub> at 0 or 100 µg/kg and LAB at 0 or 3 × 109 cfu/kg. Results showed that AFB<sub>1</sub> decreased (P < 0.05) feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), and activities of glutathione (GSH), glutathione s-transferases (GSTs) and glutathione reductase (GR) in liver and duodenal mucosa, whereas these parameters were increased (P < 0.05) by supplemental LAB. AFB<sub>1</sub> increased and LAB decreased the feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). Interactions (P < 0.05) were found on BWG, liver GSTs and mucosal GSH. LAB decreased (P ≤ 0.001) AFB<sub>1</sub> residue in liver, kidney, plasma and faeces and AFB<sub>1</sub>-DNA adduct in kidney, plasma and faeces. It can be concluded that LAB can partially protect against AFB<sub>1 </sub>toxicity by facilitating glutathione turnover and reducing AFB<sub>1</sub> toxicity in lambs.