Effect of glucomannan on haematological, coagulation and biochemical parameters in male rabbits fed aflatoxin-contaminated ration

Abstract

The main goal of the present work was to explore the effect of glucomannan (GM) as a biological detoxifying agent on haematological, coagulation and biochemical parameters in male rabbits fed aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-contaminated ration. Thirty male White New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. They were divided into 3 equal groups. The first group was given a ration free from mycotoxins and kept as a control group. Rabbits in the second group were fed a ration naturally contaminated with AFB1 (0.1 mg/kg ration) for 28 days, while rabbits in the third group were fed AFB1-contaminated ration (0.1 mg/kg ration) in addition to GM (1 kg/ton) for 28 days. The results of the present work revealed that aflatoxicosis elicited a picture of microcytic hypochromic anaemia, leukopenia, lymphocytopenia and monocytopenia. Coagulopathy recorded in this work due to aflatoxicosis was characterised by thrombocytopenia, prolonged prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. Hepatotoxicity due to AFB1 recorded in this work was characterised by a significant increase in serum activity of alanine aminotransferase, gammaglutamyl transferase and total bilirubin in addition to a significant decrease in serum total proteins and albumin. Data recorded in this work showed a significant increase in serum urea, creatinine, total lipids and cholesterol in addition to a significant decrease in serum glucose, calcium, phosphorus and iron in rabbits fed aflatoxin-contaminated ration only. Supplementation of rabbit ration with GM resulted in the return of the above-mentioned parameters to normal control values. It could be concluded that GM provides new insights into counteracting the adverse effects of AFB1.