Ultrastructural and biochemical changes in the turkeys liver after the chronic cadmium exposure

Antioxidant influence on poultry liver morphology and hepatocyte ultrastructure

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The poultry farming development is held back by necessity to use the concentrates with the increased number of crude protein, mycotoxicoses, and subclinical infections concentration. They make a significant impact on the liver, therefore affecting its morphofunctional condition. Antioxidants use can prevent the negative influence of these factors. This study aimed to examine the impact of feed supplements containing natural antioxidants and synthetic antioxidants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Muscovy ducks, Hungarian White geese, and quails were the study object. Birds after hatching from eggs were split into two groups: Control and two experimental. The control group (40 birds of each species) received a normal diet in accordance with the type and age. The young ducklings, goslings, and quails of the first experimental group (30 birds of each species) received water with diisopropylammonium dichloroacetate (Dironax). The young ducklings, goslings, and quails of the second experimental group (30 birds of each species) received liquid multivitamin preparation, containing organic selenium form (Solvimin Selen) from the 1st day of the postembryonic development to the age of 60 days. We performed the weighing of the young ducklings, goslings, and quails, determined the live weight, liver weight, using the electronic scales (measurement inaccuracy is 0.02 g). To conduct the morphometric, histological, and electron microscopic studies liver, we killed the birds at the age of 1 day, 15 days, a month and 2 months during the postembryonic ontogenesis.

RESULTS

The performed overall studies allowed to determine the positive influence of the antioxidants on growth and development of the meat bird, whose body mass increased by 5-10% in comparison with the control parameters. The antioxidants use prevents the development of fatty, hydropic and parenchymal degeneration, hepatocyte and epithelial cells necrosis of the bile ducts, and connective tissue proliferation with its further fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

This study proved that it is more effective to use well-digestible, fast-acting natural polyvitaminic antioxidant complex with selenium, starting from the 1st day of the postembryonic ontogeny.

Blood concentration of copper, cadmium, zinc and lead in horses and its relation to hematological and biochemical parameters

Environmental pollution results in serious health hazards to animals and blood analysis serves as a good alternative for health status assessment. The target of this study was to analyze the concentration of selected metals in equine blood, to analyze the blood parameters and to find possible correlations. Blood samples were collected from the vena jugularis of healthy adult horses. The highest concentration of all elements was found in whole blood (Cu 3.84 ± 0.90 mg L(-1); Cd = 0.81 ± 0.90 mg L(-1); Zn 26.67 ± 14.12 mg L(-1); Pb 9.33 ± 5.76 mg L(-1)). Higher concentrations of copper, cadmium, zinc and lead were detected in blood clots compared to blood sera (44.04%). A similar tendency was found for cadmium (50%), zinc (13.08%) and lead (46.02%), which showed generally higher concentrations in blood clots (cells). Correlation analysis proved some relations between analyzed elements. In blood clots there is a strong positive correlation between Cd - Pb (r = 0.93) and Zn - Pb (r = 0.71) was detected. For biochemical and hematological parameters mainly medium correlations were detected. Obtained results prove different correlations of analyzed elements in blood components as well as the effect on parameters of blood biochemical and hematological profiles.

Effects of chronic low-dose cadmium exposure on selected biochemical and antioxidant parameters in rats

The effects of long-term (1 yr) exposure to low doses of cadmium (Cd) dissolved in drinking water on selected biochemical and antioxidant parameters were studied in Wistar rats. Rats were divided into four groups: male control group (C-m), female control group (C-f), male Cd-exposed group (Cd-m), and female Cd-exposed group (Cd-f). Cd groups were exposed to Cd dissolved in drinking water (cadmium dichloride 4.8 mg CdCl2/L, i.e., 2.5 mg Cd/L, 500-fold of maximal allowable concentration for potable water). The experiment was terminated on d 370. In all groups, biochemical parameters (total protein [TP], albumin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, glucose, cholesterol, triacylglycerols, urea, and creatinine) and antioxidant parameters (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and total antioxidant capacity) were measured in the blood. Total protein and albumin concentrations were decreased significantly in the Cd-m group. Other biochemical parameters did not change in Cd groups compared to control groups. Superoxide dismutase fell significantly in both male and female Cd-exposed groups. Activity of glutathione peroxidase was markedly lower in Cd-exposed groups. Total antioxidant capacity increased significantly in Cd-f group. These results suggest that chronic low-dose oral Cd exposure induces oxidative stress.

Influence of lifetime exposure of sublethal doses of cadmium to selected parameters of carbohydrate metabolism

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of exposure to low doses of cadmium dissolved in drinking water (at a concentration 200 times higher than the maximum permissible dose) on selected parameters of carbohydrate metabolism in 20 Wistar rats. Animals were divided into two groups – control and experimental groups exposed to low doses of cadmium chloride in concentration 20 μM of drinking water. We studied the biochemical parameters, as glucose, hemoglobin, glycated hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase and amylase in blood of rats. Glucose, hemoglobin, glycated hemoglobin and amylase levels increased, lactate dehydrogenase was no changed of rats exposed to cadmium. Good indicators of chronic intoxication by cadmium are elevated levels of glucose, hemoglobin and mainly glycated hemoglobin in blood. The evaluation results should be taken into account not only the data at the end of the experiment but for the entire duration of trials (i.e., more time steps), which results largely make objective.