EFFECTS OF FABA BEAN TANNINS ON THE GROWTH AND HISTOLOGICAL STRUCTUREOF THE INTESTINAL-TRACT AND LIVER OF CHICKS AND RATS

1. Diets containing a freeze-dried tannin extract from faba beans (Vic ia faba L.) at concentrations of 0, 8 and 16 g/kg were fed to growing chicks and rats.2. Chicks fed on the tannin-containing diets exhibited a high mortality and significant decreases in body-weight as well as lower food intakes and higher food intake:weight gain ratios (P < 0.01 ). In rats there was no mortality but the growth and food intake were adversely affected (P < 0.05). 3. Histological changes occurred in the ileal mucosa of chicks. Atrophy and shortening of villi with distorti on of their architecture were observed. Similar histological disorders but less pronounced were also found in rats. 4. Histopathology of the liver of both chicks and rats showed an hydropic degeneration of hepa tocytes, clearly more severe in the former than in the latter.