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Blood Parameters and Toxicity of Chromium Picolinate Oral Supplementation in Lambs

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Abstract

The effects of oral supplementation of chromium picolinate (CrPic) on various blood parameters and their possible toxicity on the liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, and testis were investigated. Twenty-four Santa Inês (SI) lambs were treated with four different concentrations of CrPic (six animals/treatment): placebo, 0.250, 0.375, and 0.500 mg CrPic/animal/day for 84 days. The basal diet consisted of hay Panicum maximum cv Massai and concentrate. Blood and serum were collected fortnightly for analysis. On day 84, the animals were euthanized, and histopathological analysis in the liver, kidney, heart, lung, and testis was made. The liver and kidney were also submitted to electronic microscopy analysis. Differences between treatments (P < 0.05) were observed for packed cell volume (day 84), hemoglobin (day 84), total plasm protein (day 56 and day 84), and triglycerides (day 70). There was no statistically significant relationship between Cr supplementation and histopathology findings, although some animals treated with supplementary Cr showed morphological changes in the liver, kidney, and testis. Thus, the effectiveness of supplementation with Cr remains in doubt as to its physiological action and toxicity in sheep.

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Acknowledgments

This work received financial support from CNPq (INCT-Pecuária and Universal), FAP-DF, FINATEC, and CAPES/PROCAD New Frontiers 2007. Special thanks to Laboratory of Electronic Microscopy/UnB, to Professor Sonia Nair Bao, Embrapa-CPAC, Veterinary School/UFMG, and to Professor Roberto Mauricio Carvalho Guedes for their scientific support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária/UnB, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, ICC-Sul, Brasília, DF, Brazil, 70910-900

    Bruno Stéfano Lima Dallago, Concepta McManus & Bárbara Oliveira Borges

  2. Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Insitituto de Ciências Biológicas/UnB, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, DF, Brazil, 70910-900

    ShélidaVasconcelos Braz

  3. Laboratório de Patologia Clínica Veterinária/UnB, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, ICC-Sul, Brasília, DF, Brazil, 70910-900

    Tatiana Guerrero Marçola

  4. Diretoria de Defesa e Vigilância Agropecuária, Secretaria de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural—SEAGRI/DF, Parque Estação Biológica—Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, Brazil, 70770-914

    Denise Ferreira Caldeira

  5. Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura/USP, Av. Centenário, no 303, Caixa Postal 96, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, 13400-970

    Aline Campeche, Edgard Franco Gomes & Helder Louvandini

  6. Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Goiano, Campus Iporá, Av. Oeste s/n, Iporá, GO, Brazil, 76200-000

    Tiago Prado Paim

  7. Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia-Informação Genético-Sanitária da Pecuária Brasileira (CNPq/INCT/IGSPB), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    Bruno Stéfano Lima Dallago, Concepta McManus & Helder Louvandini

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  1. Bruno Stéfano Lima Dallago
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  2. ShélidaVasconcelos Braz
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Correspondence to Bruno Stéfano Lima Dallago.

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Dallago, B.S.L., Braz, S., Marçola, T.G. et al. Blood Parameters and Toxicity of Chromium Picolinate Oral Supplementation in Lambs. Biol Trace Elem Res 168, 91–102 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0347-y

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