STUDY OF APOPTOSIS IN THE SUBLETHAL DOSE OF PENICILLIC ACID TOXICITY IN BROILER CHICKENS

Pharmaceutical Science-Pathology

Abstract

Penicillic acid (PA), a mycotoxin, was originally isolated from the cultures of Penicillium puberulum. The
present study was undertaken to study the apoptosis in the sublethal dose of penicillic acid mycotoxicosis in
broiler chicken. Eighteen day-old broiler chicks were fed with control diet for the period of three weeks.
Subsequently, the birds were randomly distributed to two groups of nine birds each and fed with control and
15 ppm of penicillic toxin diets. Three birds from control and treated groups were sacrificed at 24, 48 and 72
h after treatment in the acute toxicity trial. Similarly, six birds (3 control and 3 penicillic acid–15 ppm) were
used for subacute toxicity trial (21 days) and sacrificed to study the apoptosis in the spleen and thymus by
using flow cytometric analysis with the Annexin V kit to assess apoptosis and necrosis in splenocytes and
thymocytes. This research indicated that peak induction of apoptosis was observed at 24 h treatment of
penicillic acid (15 ppm).