Efficacy of N-acetylcysteine to reduce the effects of aflatoxin B-1 intoxication in broiler chickens

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been used safely in humans and in other mammals as an antidote against several toxic and carcinogenic agents, including afl atoxin B-1 (AFB(1)). The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability o f dietary supplementation with NAC to ameliorate the effects of subacute in toxication with AFB(1) in broiler chickens. One hundred twenty male Hubbard 1-d-old chickens were allocated into one of four dietary treatments: 1) co ntrol group without treatment, 2) purified AFB1 added to diet (3 mg/kg of f eed) for 21 d, 3) NAC (800 mg/kg BW, daily), or 4) AFB(1) plus NAC at the s ame doses as Groups 2 and 3. Broilers treated with AFB1 plus NAC were shown to be partially protected against deleterious effects on BW (57.8%), daily weight gain (49.1%), feed conversion index (21.4%), plasma and hepatic tot al protein concentration (45.2, 66.7%), plasma alanine aminotransferase (67 .4%), hepatic glutathione-S-transferase (18.8%), and reduced glutathione li ver concentration (75.0%). In addition, they showed less intense liver fadi ng, friable texture, and microvesicular steatosis. In the kidney, thickenin g of glomerular basement membrane was also less severe in NAC+AFB(1)-treate d chickens than in AFB(1)-treated chickens. Our results suggest that NAC pr ovided protection against negative effects on performance, liver and renal damage, and biochemical alterations induced by AFB(1) in broiler chickens. Effects of NAC alone on chick performance were also evaluated. Addition of NAC to diet (800 mg/kg BW) did not negatively affect feed consumption, conv ersion index, or serum chemistry and did not induce structural changes in t he liver or kidney.