Efficacy of silymarin-nanohydrogle complex in attenuation of aflatoxins toxicity in Japanese quails

Abstract

A 2 × 3 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of silymarin-nanohydrogle (0, 500 free; 500 nano) and a mycotoxin (0; 2.2 mg/kg), silymarin contaminated diet on productive performance and certain serum biochemical parameters using 72 Japanese quail chicks in days 7–35 of age. Six experimental treatments consisting inclusion of 0 or 2.2 mg/kg aflatoxins in a basal diet fed to the birds receiving 0 or 500 mg/L silymarin in two free- or nanohydrogle forms via drinking water. Daily weight gain (DWG) and European production index (EPI) reduced by 6.7% and 13.6% while feed intake (FI) and FCR increased by 3.76% and 12% in the birds fed on the diet containing 2.2 mg/kg aflatoxin, respectively (p < .05). Administration of silymarin-nanohydrogle through drinking water improved FI and DWG by 3.7% and 8.1%, respectively (p < .05). Mean serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity elevated by 26.1% and serum concentration of total protein (TP), glucose (GLU) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) declined by 14.4%, 6.1% and 27.1% in the birds fed on the aflatoxin-contaminated diet, respectively (p < .05). Mean serum concentration of BUN (86.4%) and GLU (12.0%) increased and Ca (10.3%) decreased in birds receiving 500 mg/kg silymarin-nanohydrogle (p < .05). The birds receiving silymarin-nanohydrogle in drinking water showed lesser liver and spleen percentage (p < .05). It was concluded that inclusion of 500 mg/kg silymarin-nanohydrogle in drinking water could significantly compensate the impaired growth performance and alter hepatic function in Japanese quails fed on a diet contaminating 2.2 mg aflatoxins.

Highlights

• Feeding diets contaminated with 2.2 mg aflatoxins/kg suppressed growth performance and impaired hepatic function in Japanese quails.

• Inclusion of 500 mg/kg silymarin-nanohydrogle in drinking water alleviated the adverse impact of aflatoxins on broilers’ performance and partially improved liver function.

• Greater levels of silymarin-nanohydrogle may relive the aflatoxin-caused intimidating alterations in liver and blood parameters in Japanese quails.

Keywords:

• Aflatoxin
• hepatoprotective
• nanohydrogle
• quail
• silymarin

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Zeinab Yazdiniapour, Department of Pharmacognosy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran for her invaluable advices in this research project. The authors thank Dr. Mokhtar Nosrati and Dr. Zahra Shakeran, Zhinteb^® Knowledge Enterprise company, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran, for the production of silymarin-nanohydrogle, Ali Afifian for his collaboration in the implementation of this research project and Dr. Hossein Irandoust, Department of Animal Science, Isfahan Agricultural Research Centre, Isfahan, Iran, for his assistance in data analysis. We also thanks Dr. Hadi Pajouhanfar, Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Mycotoxicology, Faculty of Animal Science, Zabol University, Zabol, Iran for effective collaboration in aflatoxin mixture preparation.

Ethical approval

All procedures carried out in this experiment were reviewed and approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

Health and safety

Authors confirm that all mandatory laboratory health and safety procedures have been complied with in the course of conducting all experimental works reported in this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Directorate of Research and Technology, Lorestan University for the improvement of post-graduate students.