Sub acute toxicity study in rats by the Aspergillus niger culture filtrates isolated from maize stalks of Shivamogga district, Karnataka

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the toxicity caused by consuming the fungal contaminated maize stalk by the cattle. Identification of the fungi was done by molecular identification of the fungi species using Sanger Sequence Chromatogram method and the fungus identified as Aspergillus niger. To imitate the field conditions, a repeated-dose 28-days oral sub acute toxicity study was performed with three groups (n = 6) of Wistar Albino rats. The rats were weighed individually on Day 0, Day 14 and Day 28. The group I (control) received oral gavage of potato dextrose broth @ dose of 2 ml/100 g, where as groups II and III received fungal culture filtrate of Aspergillus niger at the doses of 1 and 2 ml/100 g respectively. Rats showed clinical signs of gradual reduction in the feed intake, water intake, diarrhoea and loss of body weight. Treatment groups (group II and III) showed decrease in hematological parameters (Packed cell volume, Hemoglobin, Total leucocyte count and Total erythrocyte count) and increased serological parameters (Aspartate Transaminase, Alanine Transaminase, Creatinine, Blood urea nitrogen). At the end of the study period, the survived experimental rats were humanely sacrificed and subjected to detailed postmortem examination and observed for any gross changes in the vital organs. The findings of the present study concluded that the fungal culture filtrates of fungus Aspergillus niger isolated from contaminated maize stalk caused toxicity in rats, which was attributed for the presence of a toxic principle components in the gavaged fungal culture filtrates.