Effects of Yeast Glucomannan and Sodium Bentonite on the Toxicity of Aflatoxin in Broilers

A Azizpour,N Moghadam

doi:10.1590/1516-635xspecialissuenutrition-poultryfeedingadditives007-014

A Azizpour, N Moghadam

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-635xspecialissuenutrition-poultryfeedingadditives007-014

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a yeast glucomannan (YG) and sodium bentonite (SB) in reducing the toxicity of aflatoxin for broilers fed a diet naturally contaminated with aflatoxin. In total, 300 7-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned to 10 dietary treatments, consisting of a diet with no aflatoxin (positive control), a diet naturally contaminated with 250 ppb aflatoxin (negative control), and eight aflatoxin-contaminated diets supplemented with different SB and YG and their combinations. Serum biochemical parameters and liver pathological changes were investigated when broilers were 42 days old. The birds fed the negative control diet presented lower uric acid, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels and higher in AST and ALT activities compared with the positive control group. In addition, negative-control birds also showed significant histopathological changes (p<0.05), including slight to moderate hydropic degeneration and/or fatty changes (8 cases), bile-duct hyperplasia (7 cases), periportal fibrosis (5 cases), cells infiltration (4 cases), congestion (3 cases) as well gross pathological changes. The addition of YG and SB to the aflatoxin-contaminated diet partially alleviated the negative effects of aflatoxin. However, the supplementation 0.1% YG alone to the aflatoxin-contaminated diet significantly prevented the adverse effects of aflatoxin on serum biochemical parameters and pathological liver changes and was found to be more effective than other treatments.

Highlights

Aflatoxins are potent mycotoxins produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus
The objectives of the present study was to evaluate the toxic effects of aflatoxin (250 ppb) on serum biochemical parameters and liver gross and microscopic changes in broilers, and to determine the possible preventive effects of the dietary addition of a glucomannan-containing yeast product (Mycosorb; 0.05% and 0.1%) and sodium bentonite (1.5% and 3%) on serum biochemical parameters and pathological changes induced by aflatoxin in broilers
Cholesterol, and triglyceride serum levels, and higher AST and ALT activities were detected in the broilers fed the aflatoxin-contaminated diet with no adsorbents compared with the positive control feed, in agreement with previous reports on the biochemical toxic effects of aflatoxin (Raju & Devegowda, 2000; Basmacioglu et al, 2005; Mohamed & Mohamed, 2009; Magnoli et al, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

Aflatoxins are potent mycotoxins produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. They are considered a significant problem in poultry production and public health because they cause considerable economic losses and severe health problems. The toxicity of aflatoxin in poultry has been extensively studied to determine their teratogenic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, and growth-inhibition effects (Oznurlu et al, 2012). The biochemical, hematological (Basmacioglu et al, 2005; Azizpour et al, 2012), immunological (Mogadam & Azizpour, 2011), and pathological (Ortatatli & Oguz, 2001) effects of aflatoxins have been described in depth. Aflatoxins may cause significant gross and microscopic changes in the liver, such as hepatomegaly, paleness, hydropic degeneration, fatty liver, bile-duct hyperplasia, and periportal fibrosis (Karaman et al, 2005; Ortatatli et al, 2005)

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