title: Protective effect of L-carnitine against oxidative damage caused by experimental chronic aflatoxicosis in quail (Coturnix coturnix).
abstract: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on the plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and whole blood reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations in experimentally-induced chronic aflatoxicosis in quails. For this purpose, a total of 80 quails up to 8 weeks old were divided into four equal groups. Group I served as control, Group II was given L-carnitine at the dose of 200 mg/litre in the drinking water for 60 days, Group III was given 60 microg total aflatoxin/kg diet for 60 days, and Group IV was given both 60 microg total aflatoxin/kg diet and 200 mg L-carnitine/litre in the drinking water for 60 days. Aflatoxin treatment caused a significant increase in plasma MDA and a significant decrease in blood GSH concentrations. On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in plasma MDA and a significant increase in whole blood GSH in the L-carnitine-supplemented group. The present study demonstrated that L-carnitine brought about the inhibition of lipid peroxidation by enhancing antioxidant capacity in quails with chronic aflatoxicosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Kafkas, 36100 Kars, Turkey. mcitil@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Citil
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gunes
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Atakisi
authors.forename: Ayla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuzcu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dogan
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003370:Coturnix / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D015651:Mycotoxicosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D002331:Carnitine