Effect of benzo (a)‎ pyrene exposure on erythrocyte marker antioxidant defense system in broiler chickens

Abstract EN

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) was used to simulate the influence of air pollution on erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes in broilers.

A total of 100-day-old chicks were assigned into five equal groups comprising of a control, tricaprylin group and three groups treated with different doses of BaP (1.5 μg, 150 μg or 15 mg/kg BW).

The BaP was given intra-tracheally (i.t) administered to day old chicks for 5 consecutive days.

It was found that levels below 15 mg BaP did not yield significant effects on erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes in broilers.

However, 15 mg of BaP level cause significant increase (P<0.05) in the glutathione (GSH) concentration, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities of broilers at day 7 post-instillation (p.i.).

Nevertheless, a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the GSH level GSH-Px, SOD and CAT activities at 21 and 35 days were noticed.

It is concluded that exposure to BaP may exert adverse effects on the erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes of broilers which may increase their susceptibility to disease infection.