EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM ALUMINUM EXPOSURE ON CERTAIN SERUM CONSTITUENTS IN BROILER-CHICKENS

The aim of this work was to study the effects of 35 days exposure to a luminium on certain serum biochemical quantities in chickens. Broiler chicks (TETRA-726 hybrid, male) were kept in a climate-controlled stal l with feed and water ad libitum, from day 1 of age, for 7 weeks. From the beginning of the third week aluminium was added to the diet as al uminium chloride. Treatments included supplemental aluminium content o f 0, 200, 1000 and 3000 mg/kg ration. Al the end of the experiment, bl ood samples were taken from the v. ulnaris. The treated groups showed significantly elevated alkaline phosphatase activities, as well as inc reased cholesterol concentrations and decreased triacylglycerol concen trations, and these changes were dose-dependent. The concentration of uric acid was significantly higher in the group receiving 1000 mg/kg r ation, but significantly lower in the group receiving 3000 mg/kg ratio n, compared with the controls. In the treated groups, the concentratio n of glucose, as well as the activities of cholinesterase, aspartate a minotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase and creatine kinase were s imilar in the controls and treated animals. High levels of alkaline ph osphatase are due to increased osteoblastic activity, provoked by the disturbance of bone formation, caused in turn by aluminium. Alteration s in serum uric acid may be connected with metabolic disturbances (e. g. renal function, cation-anion balance etc.). Neither hepatic nor mus cle damage was found.