Study on Effects of Oral Administrating of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. Extract (Silymarin) on Biochemical Factors and Tissue Changes Caused by Aflatoxin in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Background: In poultry industry the most common and important mycotoxin is aflatoxin, and decreasing its economical and sanitary damages by using effective and inexpensive substances is the target of most of the researchers. Objective: Since the pathologic effects of aflatoxin toxicity are more important in liver, kidney and muscles, and due to the mechanism of formation of the damages and also taking in to account the other studies on silymarin effects (extract of Silybum marianum) in preventing various liver and kidney diseases, the silymarin effects reviewed on preventing the losses caused by aflatoxin due to the poultry breeding farms conditions in Iran. Methods: In this study 56 one-day chicken, divided in to 4 groups, each group contains 14 chickens. First group were feed with normal allotment, second group with normal allotment with added 1 mg/Kg aflatoxin, third group with normal allotment with 800 mg silymarin per kg body weight and with added 1 mg/Kg aflatoxin, and after 42 days biochemical, autopsy and histopathology surveys have been done on the samples. Results and Conclusion: According to the reviewed data and comparing the results of studied groups, silymarin can be recommended for decreasing the damages caused by aflatoxin during the period of breeding broiler chickens.

Keywords

• silymarin
• biochemical factors
• tissue damage
• aflatoxin
• broiler chickens