Effects of prolonged dietary exposure to cadmium on some hematological and immunological parameters of japanese quail and possible protective effects of ascorbic acid and garlic

Abstract EN

This study was carried out on 200, one-week old unsexed growing Japanese quail chicks to evaluate the toxic effects of cadmium on hematological and immunological parameters and their modulation with certain antioxidants in growing Japanese quail.

The quail were divided into five equal groups with forty chicks in each group and each sub group was allotted into four replicates (10 each) in a completely randomized design.

Group one fed basal diet only without supplementation (served as control), group 2, fed basal diet + 40 mg cadmium chloride/kg diet, groups 3, 4 and 5 fed basal diet + 40 mg cadmium chloride/kg diet and supplemented with either of 200 mg ascorbic acid/ kg diet, 500 mg dried garlic powder /kg diet or 200 mg ascorbic acid/ kg diet +500 mg dried garlic powder /kg diet, respectively.

Blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis at the end of experiment.

Cadmium caused significant (P ≤ 0.01) decreases in the red blood cells (RBC) counts and hemoglobin (HGB), Packed cell volume (PCV) and numerical decrease hemoglobin (HGB), respectively, as compared with those of the control.

While, a no significant increase in white blood cells (WBCs) counts was detected.

Combined treatment of cadmium exposed quail with ascorbic acidor/and dried garlic powder had significantly (P ≤ 0.01) improved RBCs and HGB, however, it not compares favorably with those obtained in the control group.

Meanwhile, WBC and PCV were insignificantly affected by the feed additives used in the present study.

On the other hand, serum IgG level was significantly decreased and numerical decrease in IgM in cadmium group.

Combined treatment of cadmium exposed quail with ascorbic acidor/and dried garlic powder had improved immunity.

These results mean that dietary supplementation with ascorbic acidor/and dried garlic powder might be useful in reversing the decrease IgG and IgM induced by cadmium and alleviated the adverse effect of cadmium on immunity.