Protective effects of dietary Kefir against aflatoxin B1‐induced hepatotoxicity in Nile tilapia fish, Oreochromis niloticus

Abstract

The effect of dietary Kefir supplementation on the biometric, biochemical, and histological parameters of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1, 200 µg/kg diet) contamination was studied. The yeasts were dominant in Kefir followed by lactic and acetic acid bacteria. The Kefir showed relatively interesting antioxidant potential in the DPPH• (IC50 = 0.9 ± 0.02 mg/ml) and ABTS•+ (IC50 = 2.2 ± 0.03 mg/ml) scavenging activities, Fe3+‐reducing power (EC0.5 = 1.2 ± 0.01 mg/ml), and β‐carotene bleaching assay (IC50 = 3.3 ± 0.02 mg/ml). Three hundred and sixty Nile tilapia weighing 23 ± 5 g were divided into four groups (30 fish/group with 3 replicates), and fed with diets containing Kefir (D2), AFB1 (D3), and Kefir+AFB1 (D4) for 4 weeks, whereas D1 was kept as control group where fish were fed with basal diet. The Kefir supplementation in D4 group significantly increased (p < .05) the percent weight gain as compared to D3 group. Moreover, Kefir improved the antioxidant enzymes in the liver, such as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, that significantly increased (p < .05) by 2‐, 3‐, and 1.5‐folds, respectively, as compared to D3 group. The Kefir treatment significantly decreased (p < .05) the liver malonaldehyde content by ~50% as compared to D3 group. Histopathological analysis revealed the hepatoprotective effects of Kefir by showing normal liver histological architecture in D4 group, as compared to degenerative changes observed in D3 group. These results suggest that Kefir could be considered as a potential probiotic in Nile tilapia feed to mitigate the AFB1 harmful effects.

Microbial Composition of Water Kefir Grains and Their Application for the Detoxification of Aflatoxin B1

“…Furthermore, accompanied by the reduction in AFB1, the mutagenicity of the samples treated with WKGs was lost, which was similar to the previous findings, including the dietary intervention of L. plantarum, which promotes the adsorption of AFB1, against the toxicity of AFB1 [19], and the protective effects of dietary Kefir against the hepatotoxicity induced by AFB1 in Nile tilapia fish (Oreochromus niloticus) [59].…”

Evaluation of Interactions of Added Soybean Peroxidase with Other Nutrients Present in Fish Feeds Using an In Vitro Digestive Simulation

“…Fish are highly sensitive to the effects of mycotoxins, and even if exposure is chronic and does not cause mortality, regular intake causes negative effects (e.g., liver disorder, low weight gain and low feed conversion) which affect productivity directly [6,7]. This requires not only extensive surveys to control their occurrence [8][9][10][11][12][13] but also developing strategies for mitigation of their negative effects on fish metabolism and to prevent contamination of fish products that will be consumed by humans [14].…”