title: Prophylactic action of lipoic acid on oxidative stress and growth performance in broilers at risk of developing ascites syndrome.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the effects of dietary supplementation with lipoic acid (LA) on broilers maintained at 2235 m above sea level with high risk to develop ascites syndrome (AS). A total of 2040 chicks were fed under commercial conditions with water and specific diets ad libitum during 7 weeks in two consecutive experiments. Mortality and indicators of performance and oxidative stress were compared weekly in broilers fed a basal diet plus 0, 10, 20, or 40 parts/10(6) LA. The effects of LA at 40 parts/10(6) were also studied during the initial 3 weeks or the last 4 weeks of the production cycle. Diets supplemented with 40 parts/10(6) of LA during 7 weeks significantly improved feed conversion, decreased general mortality and mortality attributable to AS, and lowered thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hydroxyl radicals in liver, and increased total glutathione pool. Smaller doses or shorter periods of exposure to LA were partially effective. In conclusion, LA under our experimental conditions has a prophylactic action in broilers with high risk to develop AS due to oxygen availability limitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, National Autonomous University of Mexico, México.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz-Cruz
authors.forename: Maurilio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serret
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guinzberg
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piña
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001201:Ascites / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000032:analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012307:Risk Factors; D013577:Syndrome; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D008063:Thioctic Acid; D005978:Glutathione; D010100:Oxygen