Richard Churchil, REzhil Praveena, PMaldhure, Nitin A.TANUVAS2020-02-212020-02-212014-10http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810143423TNV_JPST_2014_2(4)69-74A biological experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of esterified glucomannan in counteracting aflatoxicosisin broiler chicks. The chicks were given aflatoxin (AF) free diet oraflatoxin (1ppm) containing diet or aflatoxin (1ppm) with esterified glucomannan (EG, 0.1%) containing diet continuously from day-old to six weeks of age. At the end of the study, the liver, kidneys, spleen and bursa of Fabricius were collected for histopathological studies. Microscopically, the liver of the AF fed broilers showed fatty change, degeneration and necrosis of hepatocytes and the cellular infiltration around the portal triads and blood vessels. Kidneys of AF intoxicated birds revealed degeneration and necrosis of tubular epithelial cells along with cellular infiltration, congestion and haemorrhages in the parenchyma, severe fatty change and mild infiltration of lymphoid cells in the interstitial spaces. In spleen, congestion, multifocal areas of haemorrhages and mild lymphocytic activity of periarteriolar lymphatic tissue with increased number of histiocytes were observed in AF fed birds. Mild to moderate degree of congestion, increased number of histiocytes with heterophil infiltration, connective tissue proliferation, sparse cellularity of the follicles with presence of large number of histiocytes containing cellular debris were observed in bursa of Fabricius of AF treated birds. Feeding of EG along with AF showed milder bile duct hyperplasia and hypertrophy in liver and lowered the severity of tubular necrosis in kidneys. However, supplementation of EG has no recognizable counteracting effect on histopathology of spleen. Moderate degree of lymphoid hyperplasia in bursa of Fabricius in broilers receiving both AF and EG compared to AF alone treated group is indicative of ameliorative action of EG.enVeterinary ScienceArticle