Impairment of liver antioxidant defense activity of broiler chickens exposed to benzo [α] pyrene

The antioxidant defense activity system is greatly involved in protecting cells against damage initiated by a variety of endogenous and exogenous compounds. This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of Benzo[α]Pyrene (BαP) administration on the liver antioxidant defense system. Chicks were assigned into five equal groups, as control, tricaprylin group and three groups treated with BαP (1.5 µg, 150 µg or 15 mg/kg BW). Five birds were sacrificed at days 7, 14, 21 and 35 from each group. To assess the liver antioxidant defense system, glutathione (GSH) concentration, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were employed. It was found that 15 mg of BαP level create significant increase (P