title: Diclofenac-induced biochemical and histopathological changes in white leghorn birds (Gallus domesticus).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate diclofenac-induced biochemical and histopathological changes in White Leghorn birds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six-week-old birds were equally divided into three groups of six birds each. Group I served as control and received vehicle orally. The birds of Group II and III were orally administered with a single low (2 mg/kg) and high dose (20 mg/kg) of diclofenac sodium, respectively, and were observed for 7 days. The acute toxicity was assessed by observing the clinical signs and symptoms, mortality, alterations in blood biochemistry, and necropsy findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The birds of Group II showed only mild symptoms of diarrhea. In Group III, 50% of birds died in between 24 and 36 h post-treatment showing the symptoms of segregatory behavior, lethargy, terminal anorexia, and severe bloody diarrhea. The birds of Group II and the surviving birds of Group III showed a significantly (P<0.05) increased plasma uric acid, creatinine and plasma glutamic pyruvic transaminase (PGPT), and decreased total protein and albumin at 12 and 24 h post-treatment which returned to the normal levels at 36 h post-treatment. The dead birds of the high-dose group also showed similar pattern of biochemical changes at 12 and 24 h post-treatment and revealed extensive visceral gout with characteristic histopathological lesions in liver, kidney, heart, spleen, and intestine on post-mortem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that diclofenac sodium has hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, and visceral gout inducing potentials in White Leghorn birds, especially at higher dose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary science & AH, Anjora (IGAU), Durg - 491 001, Chhattisgarh, India.
authors.forename: Teenu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Koley
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Vadlamudi
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Sandhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.forename: Upasana
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sahu