Vol. 44, No. 2, 2000
ULTRASTRUCTURAL AND ANTIDOTE INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE EXPERIMENTAL INTOXICATION OF CHICKENS WITH OCHRATOXIN A AND PENICILLIC ACID
Stoev, S. D.
Department of Pathomorphology
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Thracian University Students campus
6000 Stara Zagora
Bulgaria
Summary
The experiment was carried out in order to study ultrastructural changes in experimentally combined ochratoxin A (OTA) and penicillic acid (PA) intoxication. One hundred broiler-chickens were fed a diet containing: 130, 300 and 800 ppb OTA and 1000-2000 ppb PA, which correspond to those observed in the field. The main ultrastructural changes were seen in the epithelium of the proximal tubules in the kidneys and slight changes were seen in hepatocytes. On both sites there was pronounced mitochondrial damage and loss of membrane integrity of cell organelles leading to cell death. Slight oedema and degenerative changes in capillary endothelium were also observed in the interstitium of the kidneys. In the later stages, there was an increase in collagen deposits in the interstitium and a thickening of the tubular basement membranes. Extracts of artichoke and a new natural phytosubstance Rosallsat gave protection against the toxic effects of OTA and PA on various subcellular organelles, such as mitochondria and membrane integrity.
Key words: ochratoxin A (OTA); penicillic acid (PA); ultrastructural changes; mycotoxic nephropathy
References
Folia Veterinaria / 2000