Efficacy of a hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate to ameliorate the toxic effects of aflatoxin in broiler chicks

In vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (Improved Milbond-TX, IMTX) to alleviate the toxic effects of aflatoxin (AF) B1 in chicks. In vitro results indicated that IMTX was able to bind 100% of AFB1 at pH 3 to 9. In the in vivo study, five pen replicates of six chicks were assigned to each of four dietary treatments, which included: 1) basal diet containing neither IMTX nor AFB1 (control); 2) basal diet supplemented with 1% IMTX; 3) basal diet supplemented with 4 mg AFB1/kg diet; and 4) basal diet supplemented with 1% IMTX and 4 mg AFB1/kg diet. The addition of IMTX to chick diets at a level of 1% did not negatively affect chick performance, organ weights, or serum chemistry, or cause pathological changes. Improved Milbond-TX completely prevented the reduced performance, changes in organ weights, serum chemistry changes, and gross pathology observed in chicks fed AFB1. The IMTX dramatically reduced the incidence and severity of the hepatic histopathology changes associated with aflatoxicosis and completely prevented the renal lesions of aflatoxicosis. These results indicated that IMTX was effective in preventing the toxic effects of AF that may be present in poultry rations at levels up to 4 mg/kg feed.