Efficacy of dietary sodium bentonite against subchronic exposure to dietary aflatoxin in broilers

Seventy-two one-day-old male broiler chicks were used in the study. The chicks were divided into six groups. The first group for 45 d was fed normal feed; at the same time the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth groups were fed the feed containing 0.25% sodium bentonite, 0.50% sodium bentonite, 1 ppm of aflatoxin (approximately 85%, 10%, 3%, 2% of aflatoxins B-1, B-2, G(1), and G(2), respectively), 0.25% sodium bentonite+1 ppm of aflatoxin, and 0.50% sodium bentonite+1 ppm of aflatoxin, respectively. On day 45, the animals were sacrificed and blood samples were taken in order to measure total protein, albumin, glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and indirect bilirubin levels, and alkaline phosphatase, delta-glutamyl transferase, lactate dehyrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase activities. In addition, histopathology of the liver of all the animals was evaluated. According to the obtained findings, the aflatoxin given at specified doses and period caused the extreme damage to the liver and sodium bentonite was effective to relieve this damage. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that total protein, delta-glutamyl trasferase, alanine aminotransferase, albumins, triglycerides, cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, and total bilirubin levels/activity may be taken into consideration at the first place in the case of in vivo efficacy trials of binding agents against aflatoxins.