Acta Vet. Brno 2019, 88: 157-163

https://doi.org/10.2754/avb201988020157

Glutathione as an antioxidant marker: determination of glutathione concentration in the breast muscles and liver of broilers supplemented with different selenium sources

Karolína Mikulková1, Josef Illek1, Zdenka Bezděková2, Ivana Šimková2

1University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Large Animal Clinical Laboratory, Brno, Czech Republic
2University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ruminant and Swine Clinic, Brno, Czech Republic

Received April 4, 2018
Accepted April 23, 2019

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of different selenium sources on antioxidant properties. The glutathione (GSH) concentration and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were measured in the breast muscles and liver of 60 one-day-old broiler chickens. Another goal was to compare these indices with the weights of individual tissues and the live weight of broilers. The broilers were divided into 4 groups according to the selenium source: group 1 (control), group 2 (selenized yeast), group 3 (selenomethionine), group 4 (sodium selenite). Treatment groups were supplemented with 0.2 mg of additional selenium/kg. No significant changes in the hepatic GSH concentrations (P > 0.05) were found in the experimental groups compared to control. Significantly higher GSH concentration (P < 0.05) was found in breast muscles of broilers in group 4 (sodium selenite) compared to control. However, no positive effect of selenium supplementation in the form of sodium selenite was observed. The differences in the GPx activity in breast muscles and liver between the experimental groups and the control group were not significant (P > 0.05). No significant differences were recorded in the experimental groups compared to control in relation to the GSH concentration and GPx activity measured in the tissues. A significantly positive correlation was noted between mean GPx activity in breast muscle and breast muscle weight (P < 0.01; r = 0.3790) and live weight (P < 0.05; r = 0.2690). Although changes in the GSH concentration and GPx activity were recorded in some experimental groups, the selected dose of additional selenium appeared to be too low to affect these concentrations and the antioxidant defence system.

References

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