Effect of Esterified Glucomannan in Amelioration of Aflatoxin Induced Microscopic Changes in Broiler Chicks

A biological experiment was conducted to evaluate t he efficacy of esterified glucomannan in counteracting aflatoxicos isin broiler chicks. The chicks were given aflatoxin (AF) free diet oraflato xin (1ppm) containing diet or aflatoxin (1ppm) with esterified glucomanna n (EG, 0.1%) containing diet continuously from day-old to six we eks of age. At the end of the study, the liver, kidneys, spleen and bursa of Fabricius were collected for histopathological studies. Microscopically, the liver of the AF fed broilers showed fatty change, degeneration and necr osis of hepatocytes and the cellular infiltration around the portal triads and blood vessels. Kidneys of AF intoxicated birds revealed degeneration and n ecrosis of tubular epithelial cells along with cellular infiltration, congestion and haemorrhages in the parenchyma, severe fatty change and mild inf iltration of lymphoid cells in the interstitial spaces. In spleen, conges tion, multifocal areas of haemorrhages and mild lymphocytic activity of peria rteriolar lymphatic tissue with increased number of histiocytes were ob served in AF fed birds. Mild to moderate degree of congestion, increased nu mber of histiocytes with heterophil infiltration, connective tissue pro liferation, sparse cellularity of the follicles with presence of large number of histiocytes containing cellular debris were observed in bursa o f Fabricius of AF treated birds. Feeding of EG along with AF showed milder bile duct hyperplasia and hypertrophy in liver and lowered the severity o f tubular necrosis in kidneys. However, supplementation of EG has no recognizable counteracting effect on histopathology of spleen. M oderate degree of lymphoid hyperplasia in bursa of Fabricius in broil ers receiving both AF and EG compared to AF alone treated group is indicative of ameliorative action of EG.