Biodetoxification of Aflatoxin B1 by Arthrospira platensis in Broilers

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of Arthrospira platensis (AP) on the growth performance, serum enzyme activity, liver oxidative stress markers as well as antioxidant parameters, intestinal microbiota, and humoral immune response of broilers fed aflatoxin B-1 ( AFB(1)) contaminated diet. A total of 200 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were assigned to four treatments, control (basal diet), aflatoxin (AF) contaminated diet (basal diet + 2.5 mg AFB(1) kg(-1)), AP diet (basal diet + 1000 mg AP kg(-1)), and AFAP diet (basal diet + 2.5 mg AFB(1) and 1000 mg AP kg(-1)) with five replicate pens and 10 broiler chicks per pen. Arthrospira platensis was able to neutralize the effect of AFB(1), increase the body weight gain and feed intake, while reducing the feed conversion ratio. Liver damage marker enzymes in the serum sharply increased by AFB(1) in feed (AF group), while supplementation of aflatoxin-contaminated diet with AP reduced the level of these enzymes (p < 0.05). Liver oxidative stress markers and liver antioxidant parameters increased and decreased with AFB(1), respectively, and vice versa with AP ( p < 0.05). Adding AP to aflatoxin-contaminated diet increased lactic acid bacteria and reduced coliform bacteria in the intestine (p < 0.05). Broilers of AFAP group showed a stronger immune response than AF group (p < 0.05). The results of this research revealed that the use of AP in the diet of broiler chickens, in addition to improving the antioxidant status of the liver, intestinal microbial population, and humoral immune response, as a green and sustainable product, can also efficiently be used for biodetoxification of AFB(1).