Abstract
Nuts which contaminated with aflatoxins are potent to hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic agents. Herein, we were assessed the ability of selenium and yogurt to ameliorate aflatoxin-contaminated nut-induced hepatotoxicity in experimental rats. Relative to the control group, the aflatoxin-contaminated nut-fed rats has been reduced body weight gain and feed efficiency ratio (FER), whereas those rats given selenium or yogurt, or both, and consumed 3% aflatoxin-contaminated nuts showed no significant decrease in body weight gain or decrease in FER. Food intake did not vary significantly between the groups. After 60 days, alanine and aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase activities were increased in the serum of rats fed aflatoxin-contaminated nuts, suggesting hepatic damage. The 3% aflatoxin-contaminated nut-fed group has been reduced total protein and serum, liver glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase(GPX and SOD) enzymes but elevated creatinine, urea, uric acid, bilirubin and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, as well as liver MDA, compared to the control group. Moreover, we were found that feeding of the rats by selenium, yogurt or both could be normalize of liver and antioxidant enzyme levels (GPX, SOD, and MDA), as well as total protein, albumin, globulin, and uric acid contents. Based on our findings, we were proposed that selenium and yogurt could reduce the side effects of hepatotoxicity in experimental rats that have consumed aflatoxin-contaminated nuts.