HISTOCHEMISTRY AND HISTOENZYMATIC STUDIES OF LIVER AFTER A SINGLE ORAL DOSE OF AFLATOXIN B1 IN BROILER CHICKS

Abstract

Two hundred and forty, 5 day-old broiler chicks (Shaver starbo) were divided into three groups of 80 birds. Birds in group 3 were orally intubated and given a single dose of sterile water, olive oil and 5 mg/kg of aflatoxin B1. Clinical signs, gross pathology, histochemistry and histoenzymatic studies of liver were observed for 10 days. Eight birds from each group were randomly selected, sacrificed and necropsied everyday. The aflatoxin B1 group (group 3) showed depression and a decrease in feed consumption and body weight, in comparison with groups 1 and 2. Fatty degeneration of the liver was clearly demonstrated with Oil Red O, histochemical staining after 24-168 hours. The degenerative changes of the liver was confirmed by a decrease in enzyme, cytochrome oxidase activity, after labelling with cytochrome C histoenzymatic staining at 24-144 hours. Some recovery of the hepatic cells was recognized after 192 hours. Groups 1 and 2 showed no significant pathological lesions. The structure of the hepatic lobules in group 3 remained distorted showing an evidence of hepatic cell swelling until the end of the observation period.