Effect of Malic Acid on Some Serum Metabolite and Hepatic Enzymes in Chickens

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the malic acid on chicken liver parameters and some serum metabolites. First study was performed with male egg type chickens (2 to 21 d of age) which received four levels of malic acid via drinking water. Malic acid was added to the water and offered to chicken freely from first to end of experiment with constant concentration in both experiments. The treatments were zero (as a control), 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 percent of malic acid which dissolved in water and given to them in waterer pan. The chicks were slaughter on 21 days old and triacylglycerols (TAG) and cholesterol were measured on blood serum along with liver enzyme including malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH). In second experiment broiler chicken (male and female from 1 to 56 d of age) was evaluated for same parameters on same treatments as a mentioned for the first experiment. No significant difference (P> 0.05) was observed between treatments for weight gain in both experiments. Difference between treatments in relation to serum cholesterol and triacylglycerols was observed in both experiments (P<0.05) but with different patterns. In the first experiment, liver MDH showed higher activity (P<0.05) in birds on malic acid treatments, but IDH activity did not showed significant difference (P>0.05) between treatments. In the second experiment liver MDH activity did not showed any significant difference, but IDH activity was increased (P<0.05) by malic acid consumption. The results of these trials showed that malic acid have the potential for alteration serum metabolites and liver enzyme activities but with different pattern in egg or meat type chickens.