PROTECTIVE ROLE OF LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS AGAINST AFLATOXIN B1-INDUCED IMMUNOSUPPRESSION

M. K. Tipu*1,2, U. Saleem3, T. Rehman1, M. Aslam4, K. Muhammad5, K. Hussain2, N. Bukhari2, S. Hassan6, Z. Hussain7, M. Faisal8,10, and B. Ahmad2,9

1Dept. of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan; 2University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan; 3Dept. of  Pharmacy, Govt. College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan; 4Experimental Cardiology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany; 5Dept. of Microbiology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan; 6Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan; 7District Livestock Office, Chiniot, Govt. of Punjab, Pakistan; 8Faculty of Health Studies, University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom; and, 9Dept. of Pharmacy, Ripha International University, Lahore, Pakistan; 10Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, United Kingdom
*Corresponding author’s email address: mktipu@qau.edu.pk

ABSTRACT

Aflatoxin B1 is produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus having hepatotoxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic and immunosuppressant properties. Current study was designed to investigate the effect of lactobacilli (as probiotic) on the immunosuppression in broilers with experimentally-induced aflatoxicosis and to compare outcomes with other established adsorbents. At 21st day of age, broilers were segregated into treatments: AFB (400 mg/kg feed); AFB+Probiotics (PBT2X: 2x109CFU); AFB+PBTX:109CFU; AFB+Mycosorb (1g/kg feed); Control (basal diet). Treatments were fed to the birds for 2 wk (week 4th and 5th of age). Data was collected during and for 2 wk post-exposure (Week 6thand 7th).AFB induced reduction of leukocyte count, relative weight of spleen and bursa of Fabricius and antibody titer against Newcastle Disease Virus. Lactobacilli significantly protected against suppressive effects of the toxin on TLC, lymphoid organs and antibody titers that was comparable with the mycosorb. It is concluded that lactobacilli significantly reduced the immunotoxicity of the toxin that might be due to decrease in absorption of the toxin.
Key words: Aflatoxin, antibody titer, immunosuppression, lymphoid organs, probiotics.