title: Effects of Aspergillus niger-fermented Terminalia catappa seed meal-based diet on selected enzymes of some tissues of broiler chicks.
abstract: Effects of Aspergillus niger-fermented Terminalia catappa seed meal-based diet on the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and gamma-glutamate transferase (gamma-GT) in the crop, small intestine, gizzard, heart, liver and serum of broiler chicks were investigated. Milled T. catappa seed was inoculated with spores of A.niger (2.21 x 10(4) spores per ml) for 3 weeks. Forty-five day-old broiler chicks weighing between 27.62 and 36.21 g, were divided into three groups. The first group was fed soybean-based (control) diet; the second on raw T. catappa seed meal-based diet; and the third on A. niger-fermented T. catappa seed meal-based diet for 7 weeks. The results revealed a significantly increased (p<0.05) activity of ALP in the tissues. Contrarily, there were significant reductions (p<0.05) in the activities of ALP, ALT, AST and gamma-GT in the liver and heart of the broilers fed the raw T. catappa seed meal-based diet while there were significant increase (p<0.05) in the activities of these enzymes in the serum of the broilers in this group. The data obtained showed that A. niger-fermented T. catappa seed meal reduced the toxic effects of the raw seed meal on the tissues of broiler chicks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. alphamno2@yahoo.com
authors.forename: N O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Muhammad
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Oloyede
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens; D003426:Crop, Avian / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D005895:Gizzard, Avian / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology; D012639:Seeds / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D029766:Terminalia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology