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 AFB1 toxicity by facilitating glutathione turnover and reducing AFB1 toxicity in lambs.