Selenium nanoparticles are more efficient than sodium selenite in reducing the toxicity of aflatoxin B in Japanese quail.

Background: Dietary selenium (Se), as an antioxidant element, plays a protective role in aflatoxin B (AFB ) toxicosis in poultry.

Objectives: To compare the effects of sodium selenite (SS) and Se nanoparticles (SeNPs) against AFB -induced toxicity on growth performance, carcass traits, immune response, antioxidant status and serum lipid concentrations in Japanese broiler quails.

Methods: A total of 540 quails were divided into six treatments, each with six replicates and 15 birds per replicate at 24 days of age and reared for 21 days. Treatments included: (1) a basal diet without Se and AFB (negative control; NC); (2) NC + 1.0 mg/kg AFB (positive control; PC); (3) PC + 0.2 mg/kg Se as SS; (4) PC + 0.5 mg/kg Se as SS; (5) PC + 0.2 mg/kg Se as SeNPs; and (6) PC + 0.5 mg/kg Se as SeNPs.

Results: Treatment with PC diet decreased feed intake and body weight gain and increased feed conversion ratio than the NC diet. The PC diet also atrophied the lymphoid organs and depressed antibody responses against Newcastle disease and avian influenza viruses and sheep red blood cell. Moreover, quails treated with PC diet appeared to have lower serum glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase activities and disturbed serum lipids than those receiving the NC diet. Dietary Se attenuated these detrimental effects, but failed to completely eliminate them. Additionally, SeNPs performed better than SS in improving thioredoxin reductase activity and antibody titer against sheep red blood cell.

Conclusions: Diet supplementation with SeNPs to provide 0.5 mg/kg of Se is recommended to reduce the AFB toxicosis in broiler quails.