Effect of supplemental lactic acid bacteria on growth performance, glutathione turnover and aflatoxin B1 removal in lambs

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on growth performance, glutathione turnover, aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) residue and AFB₁-DNA adduct in growing lambs. Diets were a 2 × 2 factorial design, including AFB₁ at 0 or 100 µg/kg and LAB at 0 or 3 × 109 cfu/kg. Results showed that AFB₁ decreased (P < 0.05) feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), and activities of glutathione (GSH), glutathione s-transferases (GSTs) and glutathione reductase (GR) in liver and duodenal mucosa, whereas these parameters were increased (P < 0.05) by supplemental LAB. AFB₁ increased and LAB decreased the feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). Interactions (P < 0.05) were found on BWG, liver GSTs and mucosal GSH. LAB decreased (P ≤ 0.001) AFB₁ residue in liver, kidney, plasma and faeces and AFB₁-DNA adduct in kidney, plasma and faeces. It can be concluded that LAB can partially protect against AFB₁toxicity by facilitating glutathione turnover and reducing AFB₁ toxicity in lambs.