A 2  3 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding silymarin (0, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg) in aflatoxin contaminated diets (0 and 2.2 mg/kg) on selected performance, blood and liver parameters in broiler Japanese quails using 480 7-day-old mixed sex birds up to Day 35 of age. Feed intake, daily weight gain (DWG) and European production index (EPI) in Days 7-35 of age were reduced by 5.56, 5.97 and 10. 97%, respectively, and mortality was increased in the birds fed on diets containing 2.2 mg/kg aflatoxin (p < .05). Mean ALT, alkaline phosphatase (ALK), uric acid in birds grown on aflatoxin contaminated diet were 28.32, 12.29 and 16.34% greater than those fed with control diet, respectively (p < .05). The birds fed with diets containing 1000 mg/kg silymarin showed greater DWG (6.35%) and EPI (12.89%) and lesser feed conversion ratio (6.6%) during Days 7-35 compared with control birds (p < .05). Mean ALT (37.46%), AST (16.90%) and ALK (27.67%) activity reduced in birds grown on diets containing 2000 mg/kg silymarin (p < .05). Mean serum concentration of phosphorous increased (13.44%) and glucose (GLU) decreased (10.37%) in the same birds compared with control quails (p < .05). A significant dietary silymarin  aflatoxin interaction observed for DWG, blood concentrations of ALT, AST, calcium, GLU, LDL, triglyceride and proportional weight of liver, testis and spleen in Day 35 of age. It was concluded that Supplementation of 1000 mg/kg silymarin into the contaminated diets alleviated the adverse impact of aflatoxins on bird's performance. HIGHLIGHTSDiets contaminated with aflatoxins cause impaired growth and altered hepatic function in broiler quails. Inclusion of silymarin in diet, alleviate the adverse impact of aflatoxins on bird's performance. Greater levels of silymarin (2000 mg/kg) relives the AF-induced intimidating alterations in the liver and blood parameters in quails.

A 2 Â 3 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of silymarin-nanohydrogle (0, 500 free; 500 nano) and a mycotoxin (0; 2.2 mg/kg), silymarin contaminated diet on productive performance and certain serum biochemical parameters using 72 Japanese quail chicks in days 7-35 of age. Six experimental treatments consisting inclusion of 0 or 2.2 mg/kg aflatoxins in a basal diet fed to the birds receiving 0 or 500 mg/L silymarin in two free-or nanohydrogle forms via drinking water. Daily weight gain (DWG) and European production index (EPI) reduced by 6.7% and 13.6% while feed intake (FI) and FCR increased by 3.76% and 12% in the birds fed on the diet containing 2.2 mg/kg aflatoxin, respectively (p < .05). Administration of silymarinnanohydrogle through drinking water improved FI and DWG by 3.7% and 8.1%, respectively (p < .05). Mean serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity elevated by 26.1% and serum concentration of total protein (TP), glucose (GLU) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) declined by 14.4%, 6.1% and 27.1% in the birds fed on the aflatoxin-contaminated diet, respectively (p < .05). Mean serum concentration of BUN (86.4%) and GLU (12.0%) increased and Ca (10.3%) decreased in birds receiving 500 mg/kg silymarin-nanohydrogle (p < .05). The birds receiving silymarin-nanohydrogle in drinking water showed lesser liver and spleen percentage (p < .05). It was concluded that inclusion of 500 mg/kg silymarin-nanohydrogle in drinking water could significantly compensate the impaired growth performance and alter hepatic function in Japanese quails fed on a diet contaminating 2.2 mg aflatoxins. HIGHLIGHTSFeeding diets contaminated with 2.2 mg aflatoxins/kg suppressed growth performance and impaired hepatic function in Japanese quails. Inclusion of 500 mg/kg silymarin-nanohydrogle in drinking water alleviated the adverse impact of aflatoxins on broilers' performance and partially improved liver function. Greater levels of silymarin-nanohydrogle may relive the aflatoxin-caused intimidating alterations in liver and blood parameters in Japanese quails. ARTICLE HISTORY