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Effect of vitamin A and/or E on plasma enzymatic antioxidant systems and total antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens challenged with carbon tetrachloride
Author(s) -
Mahmoud K. Z.,
Hijazi A. A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2006.00659.x
Subject(s) - broiler , antioxidant , glutathione peroxidase , carbon tetrachloride , vitamin e , superoxide dismutase , vitamin c , chemistry , vitamin , medicine , basal (medicine) , endocrinology , oxidative stress , zoology , food science , biochemistry , biology , organic chemistry , insulin
Summary This study was conducted to investigate the effect of vitamin A and E supplementation on the antioxidant defences of broiler chickens against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )‐induced oxidative stress at 4 weeks of age. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities as well as total antioxidant (TAO) level were analysed before and after CCl 4 challenge. Day‐old Lohman broiler chickens ( n = 144) were randomly assigned to six factorially arranged dietary treatments consisting of vitamin A [1.35 (control) or +20 mg/kg] and vitamin E [20 (control), +40 or +60 mg/kg]. The background of vitamins A and E in the basal diet was 4500 IU (1.35 mg) and 30 IU (20 mg) respectively. At 4 weeks of age, eight chickens from each treatment were bled before interperitoneal injection with 1 ml of CCl 4 (mixed with olive oil in a ratio of 1:1) and bled again 24 h post‐injection. Vitamin E supplementation decreased (p < 0.05) the activity of both SOD and GPX and showed a tendency (p = 0.07) for TAO reduction. CCl 4 attenuated SOD and GPX activities as well as TAO level. The decrease was profound (p < 0.05) in chickens fed the basal diet as well as those fed basal diet supplemented with 20 mg vitamin A. TAO levels behaved similarly when chickens were challenged with CCl 4 . After CCl 4 injection, SOD activities of all experimental groups were equivalent. The presence of vitamin A decreased (p < 0.05) plasma GPX activity in chickens fed the basal diet supplemented with 40 mg/kg of vitamin E. Results of this experiment suggested that vitamin E supplementation elevated antioxidant enzyme activities while vitamin A supplementation attenuated this effect. Vitamin E supplementation improved the total reducing power by maintaining comparable levels of TAO upon CCl 4 challenge. Further experiments need to be carried out to investigate the role of vitamin A in oxidative stress and to evaluate the lipid peroxidation products.