Effects of aflatoxin B-1 on the liver and kidney of broiler chickens during development

Aflatoxin B-1 (AFB(1)) negatively affects chicken (Gallus domesticus) growth. This effect is more severe during development. We studied the influence of age on the toxic effects of AFB(1) on plasma, renal and hepatic enzymes, under two protocols, in adult and in developing Arbor-Acres chickens. Protocol A: 100 male 4-week-old chickens (640 g), received AFB(1), 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mu g/g of feed (daily p.o.), a fourth group received an aflatoxin-free diet. Five birds/group were slaughtered at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of treatment. Body, hepatic and renal weights, succinate-dehydrogenase (SDH) and glutamate-dehydrogenase (GluDH) in plasma and liver were measured. Hepatic SDH and GluDH decreased (P < 0.05). Protocol B: two groups of 24 male 1-week-old chickens (106 g) received either aflatoxin-free feed (n = 24) or AFB(1) feed (2.0 mu g/g). At days 7, 14, 21 and 28, the same parameters of Protocol A were measured. AFB(1) markedly reduced body weight gain (20-30%): plasma proteins, albumin, renal and hepatic protein content (P < 0.05) and increased absolute and relative weights of the kidney (P < 0.05). SDH and GluDH were reduced (P < 0.05), while total renal gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GCT) increased (P < 0.05). Results suggest that serum proteins, SDH and GluDH are sensitive early indicators of this toxicity that was more severe in developing chickens. Decrease in serum albumin might be used as an early and suitable indicator of the deleterious effect of this mycotoxin in developing chickens. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.