ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Efficacy of N-Acetylcysteine on Aflatoxicosis
in Rabbits
Y. Çam1, G. Eraslan2, A. Atasever3, M. Eren4, B.C. Liman2, N. Şeybek2
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1Departments of Internal Medicine,
2Pharmacology and Toxicology,
3Pathology,
4Biochemistry,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Erciyes, Kayseri, Turkey
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2008;17(2):189-197
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to determine the clinical, hematological, biochemical and pathological
findings, and to evaluate the efficiency of n-acetylcysteine (NA C) in experimentally induced aflatoxicosis
in rabbits. Our study divided 42 rabbits into 6 groups. The groups received the following
treatment: Group 1: control group without treatment, Group 2: aflatoxin (AF) (0.4 mg/kg body weight
(bw)), Group 3: AF (0.4 mg/kg bw) plus NA C (250 mg/kg bw), Group 4: AF (0.4 mg/kg bw) plus NA C
(500 mg/kg bw), Group 5: NA C (250 mg/kg bw), Group 6: NA C (500 mg/kg bw). N-acetylcysteine
was administered intramuscularly on day 1 following the administration of AF for 5 days. At the beginning
of the study and on days 1, 4 and 7 following the administration of AF, blood samples were collected
for haematological and biochemical analysis. Necropsy and histopathological examination were
performed. Clinical signs were observed starting from day 1 following the administration of AF. The
signs of toxicosis included decreased feed and water consumption, dullness, dehydration, emaciation
and convulsion. Four rabbits died in Group 2 and 2 rabbits died in Groups 3 and 4 treated with NA C.
During the study, white blood cell (WBC) counts, mean platelet volume (MPV), mean corpuscular
volume (MCV) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW ) values, serum urea levels and aspartate
aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (AL T), alkaline phosphatase (AL P) and gamma glutamyl
transpeptidase (GG T) activities increased whereas red blood cell (RBC) and platelet counts,
hemoglobin (Hgb) and hematocrit (Hct) values, total protein, total cholesterol, triglyceride and glucose
levels decreased for Group 2 given only AF compared with controls. These parameters approximated
to control levels for Groups 3 and 4 after the treatment with NA C. Histopathological examination
showed that the main affected organ was liver. Lipid degeneration, destruction and fibrosis in the liver
were detected for Group 2. Histopathological changes in the liver were observed to be less severe for
Groups 3 and 4. The study demonstrated that administration of NA C might be useful for the treatment
of aflatoxicosis in rabbits.