[Protective effect of selenium in acute T-2 mycotoxicosis]

Male Wistar rats were fed diets supplemented with selenium (0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg) for 6 weeks. When T-2 toxin was administered at 3.8 mg/kg body weight; sings of intoxication were less distinct in rats fed selenium-supplemented diets. Mortality caused by T-2 toxin was two times lower if selenium content amounted to 2.5 mg/kg. The level of cytochrome P-450 and the rate of deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin were considerably decreased in the liver of rats that received T-2 toxin and fed a diet with high selenium content. At the same time the activity of epoxide hydrolase and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase was significantly higher (1.6 and 1.7 times more) as compared with unsupplemented group. The results obtained allow to assume that there is a relationship between the decrease of T-2 toxin toxicity and the change in its metabolism in rats fed selenium-supplemented diets.