Tissue distribution and metabolism of aflatoxin B 1 - 14 C in Broiler chickens

The effects of administering low levels of aflatoxin B(1)-(14)C by crop intubation daily for 14 days to broiler chickens were determined. Studies on the distribution of (14)C in the blood, selected organs, tissues, and excreta were conducted. No toxic effects were observed in broiler chickens during the 14 days of the experiment. The broiler chickens excreted 90.64% of the (14)C administered. Of the (14)C retained, 11.04, 9.83, 4.30, 12.52, 31.66, and 30.63% were detected in the blood, liver, heart, gizzard, breast, and leg, respectively. Chemical assay of those samples demonstrating radioactivity revealed that 81.2% of the radioactivity in these substrates was not extractable by classical extraction procedures while approximately 10% was extractable. Treatment of aqueous extracts for conjugated steroids by treatments with beta-glucuronidase revealed that 31.5% of the (14)C detected in the aqueous extract was a liberated glucuronide conjugate of aflatoxin M(1)-(14)C.