Combined effect of aflatoxin and ochratoxin on liver enzymes of broilers and amelioration using adsorbents

The present study was undertaken to study the combined effect of Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin A on liver enzymes of broilers and the amelioration of the effects using adsorbents. Aflatoxin and ochratoxin A were mixed with the broiler diet to attain a concentration of 1 ppm and 2 ppm respectively. Activated charcoal at 0.4% and lyophilized yeast culture at 0.2% level were used as adsorbents for testing their efficacy in ameliorating the combined toxicosis in broiler chicks. Four diets for broilers were prepared. Diet-1 is toxin free basal diet (control). Diet-2 is a mix of basal diet, aflatoxin and ochratoxin A. Diet-3 is a mix of basal diet, aflatoxin, ochratoxin A and activated charcoal. Diet-4 is a mix of basal diet, aflatoxin, ochratoxin A, activated charcoal and lyophilized yeast culture. These diets were fed to 4 different groups of broiler chicks with 4 replicates of eight birds each in a completely randomized design for 6 weeks to study their effect on liver enzymes. The birds fed with diet 2 recorded significantly (P<0.01) higher AST, ALT and GGT compared to control diet. The birds on diet 3 containing aflatoxin, ochratoxin A and activated charcoal recorded significant (P<0.01) improvement in liver parameters as compared to diet 2 but significantly (P<0.01) still varying from diets 4 and 1, indicating that activated charcoal at 0.4% level has only partial ameliorative effect on combined toxicity. The birds fed on diet 4 containing aflatoxin, ochratoxin A, activated charcoal and yeast culture have shown significant (P<0.01) improvement in the liver parameters studied as compared to diets 2 and 3 but still significant (P<0.01) difference is observed from the control diet. The results revealed that inclusion of activated charcoal at 0.4% has partial protective effect against combined toxicity in broilers whereas activated charcoal at 0.4% and yeast culture at 0.2% in combination has complementary effect in ameliorating the combined toxicity in broilers. Though, the combination of activated charcoal and yeast culture is more effective in ameliorating the combined toxicity as compared to activated charcoal alone, they also could not completely ameliorate the combined toxicity in broilers.