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Pathological effects of feeding aflatoxin-contaminated feed on immune status and reproductive performance of juvenile white leghorn males and its mitigation with ∝-tocopherol and Moringa oleifera

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Abstract

This study was planned to detect the adverse pathological consequences of aflatoxin B1 in White Leghorn (WLH) layer breeder males. Eight-week-old male layer cockerels were separated into six experimental categories: A group was kept as negative control, offered with normal feed only; group B was fed with 400 ppb amount of aflatoxin, while groups F and D fed with normal feed and supplemented with vitamin E 100 ppm and 1% Moringa oleifera, respectively, whereas groups E and C were fed with 400 ppb aflatoxin containing feed and ameliorated with vitamin E 100 ppm and 1% Moringa oleifera, respectively. This study was continued for 2 months and immunologic disorders and reproductive parameters were observed during the trial. To find out immunological status lymphoproliferative response to phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P), antibody titers against sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) and carbon clear assay were performed by collecting samples from five birds from each group. The whole data was measured by ANOVA test, and group means were compared by DMR test by using M-Stat C software. Regarding the reproductive status, spermatogenesis, blood testosterone level, testes weight, testes histology, sperm motility, and morphology were negatively affected by aflatoxins, but these deviations positively ameliorated by vitamin E and Moringa. Vitamin E and Moringa found advantageous in boosting the immune status of affected bird. All the immunological parameters including antibody titers against sheed red blood cells, lymphoproliferative response to avian tuberculin and phagocytic potential of macrophages were suppressed by AFB1 however in control, Moringa and vitamin E groups these immunological responses were significantly higher

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    Muhammad Kashif Saleemi, Ahmad Raza, Aisha Khatoon, Shafia Tehseen Gul, Farzana Rizvi, Khawar Zubair, Anas Ashraf & Asim Sultan

  2. Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan

    Muhammad Zubair

  3. School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, No. 2 Linggong Road, Dalian, 116024, China

    Xu Yongping & Bilal Murtaza

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

    Faqir Muhammad & Muhammad Nabeel Ijaz

  5. Department of Pharmacy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    Bushra Akhtar

  6. Department of Chemistry, Government College Women University, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Farhat Jubeen

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  1. Muhammad Kashif Saleemi
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  2. Ahmad Raza
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  3. Aisha Khatoon
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  13. Anas Ashraf
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  14. Muhammad Nabeel Ijaz
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  15. Asim Sultan
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Contributions

MK Saleemi, A. Raza, A. Khatoon, and ST Gul designed this study and performed the histopathological analysis. M. Zubair, M. K. Saleemi, Xu Yongping, B. Murtaza, F. Muhammad, and B. Akhtar wrote the components of this manuscript. F. Jubeen, F. Rizvi, K. Zubair, A. Ashraf, MN Ijaz, and A. Sultan collected the data and performed the lab tests.

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Correspondence to Muhammad Kashif Saleemi.

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This study was approved by the ethical committee of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad.

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Saleemi, M.K., Raza, A., Khatoon, A. et al. Pathological effects of feeding aflatoxin-contaminated feed on immune status and reproductive performance of juvenile white leghorn males and its mitigation with ∝-tocopherol and Moringa oleifera. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 2156–2166 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31194-0

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