EFFECT OF AFLATOXIN B1 (AFB1) ON VARIOUS BLOOD BIOCHEMICAL & HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN THE EXPERIMENTAL RATS
V.K. Sivakumar, G. Singaravelu* and P. Sivamani
ABSTRACT
The present work was designed to reveal the possible effect of aflatoxin B1 on the various blood biochemical parameters in the Albinus wistar rats since biochemical parameters are the best indicators of stress situations caused by toxin exposure like pesticides or chemicals. Aflatoxin exposure in humans causes aflatoxicosis involving liver as the principal target organ. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the commonly occurring cancer due to the ingestion of foodstuffs contaminated with aflatoxins. Since the levels of SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin in the blood stand for the normal functioning of liver, these parameters were taken for assessing the toxic effect of aflatoxin in the experimental animals. Blood urea, creatinine, total cholesterol, and total protein, were assayed for the test and control group of animals in the present investigation. Since Aspergillus species of fungi seems to be the predominant contaminant in agricultural commodities especially in stored grains, its toxins like AFB1 was chosen for the present investigation. Many of the biochemical parameters assessed have deviated from their normal values. Alkaline phosphatase activity was increased in the experimental groups that were fed with higher concentration of aflatoxin B1 (14 and 17 mg /kg BW table 12). Whereas the activity of alkaline phosphatase was close to normal and not significantly altered in the experimental rats that were fed with lower levels of aflatoxin B1 (5, 8 and 11mg/kg BW) when compared with the control group. Noticeable differences were observed in haematological parameters of aflatoxin B1 exposed rat after 35 days of exposure in the present study. The values of RBC and WBC showed a significant decrease with increase in concentration of aflatoxin B1 with the control group having the highest values and the group exposed to the highest concentration (17mg/Kg body weight) showed the lowest values.
Keywords: Aflatoxin, Mycotoxins, Aspergillus flavus, Biochemical and Haematological parameters.
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