Ameliorative effects of Sida acuta and vitamin C on serum DNA damage, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in roosters fed aflatoxin B1 contaminated diets

Abstract The ameliorative effects of Sida acuta leave meal (SALM) and vitamin C on the serum pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as DNA damage to cocks fed aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contaminated diets were examined. The experiment was a completely randomized design with a total of 250 sexually mature Isa White cocks aged 24 weeks, randomly allotted into five experimental diets; each diet contained 5 replicates with 10 roosters. The diets were A (control), B (containing 1 mg/kg AFB1), C (B + 200 mg/kg vitamin C), D (B + 2.5 g/kg SALM) and E (B + 5.0 g/kg SALM). Fresh and clean water was also provided for the whole experimental period of twelve weeks. Inclusion of 1 mg/kg AFB1 without vitamin C or SALM increased TNF-α and IL-1β as well as 8-OHdG and NF-κB in the serum significantly (P < 0.05) among the cocks on diet B. However, the fortification of AFB1 contaminated diets with vitamin C and SALM depressed serum TNF-α, IL-1β, 8-OHdG and NF-κB concentrations of the cocks significantly (P < 0.05). Conversely, serum IL-4 and IL-10 in birds given 1 mg/kg AFB1 without vitamin C or SALM decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in comparison with the roosters on the control. However, improvements (P < 0.05) in IL-4 and IL-10 concentrations with corresponding reduction (P < 0.05) in TNF-α, IL-1β, 8-OHdG and NF-κB concentrations were recorded among cocks fed Diets C, D and E, respectively. Therefore, dietary addition of SALM at the level used in this study was beneficial and has comparable effects with inorganic antioxidant (C vitamin) by significantly reducing the inflammatory cytokines and oxidative damage biomarkers as well as enhancing the anti-inflammatory cytokines thereby promoting the health status of the cocks fed AFB1 contaminated ration.