Sodium arsenite toxicity in broiler chicks and its amelioration: haemato-biochemical and pathological studies.

Day old broiler chicks (Vencobb strain) were divided into 6 groups of 18 birds each and maintained for 6 weeks. Group I: basal diet, Group II: basal diet + Sodium arsenite (150 ppm), Group III: basal diet + Ascorbic acid (200 ppm), Group IV: basal diet + Vitamin-E (300 ppm), Group V: basal diet + Sodium arsenite (150 ppm) + Ascorbic acid (200 ppm) and Group VI: basal diet + Sodium arsenite (150 ppm) + Vitamin- E (300 ppm). Feeding of sodium arsenite @ 150 ppm resulted in significant (p 0.05) reduction in the body weights, feed consumption and increase in FCR. The overall mean values of Hb, PCV, TEC, TLC, total protein, albumin and globulin were significantly (p 0.05) reduced, while significant (p0.05) increase in A/G ratio, AST, creatinine and GGT was observed in group II in comparison to other groups. Grossly, group II birds revealed ecchymotic haemorrhages in heart, congestion and haemorrhages in liver, congested intestinal mucosa, kidneys were swollen, spleen was regressed and haemorrhagic. Histologically, group II birds revealed disruption of cardiac muscle bundles, sinusoidal congestion, fatty change, focal areas of lymphoid aggregation, fibrous tissue proliferation around the central vein, disrupted villi tips, sub mucosal congestion, inter and intra tubular haemorrhages, congestion, infiltration of mononuclear cells in kidney, depletion of lymphocytes and haemorrhages in spleen and depletion of lymphocytes and cystic spaces were observed in bursa of Fabricius. In amelioration groups, significant improvement in all the above parameters in comparison to group II was noted. By correlating the haematological, biochemical profiles and histological changes, sodium arsenite at 150ppm showed significant toxic effects and ascorbic acid @ 200 ppm and vitamin-E @ 300 ppm in feed were effective in counteracting the toxic effects of arsenic in broiler chicken.