Clinicopathological Effects of Cadmium and Spirulina platensis in Chickens

One hundred chickens of 1-day age were divided randomly into five groups of 20 birds each. Group I was kept as control, group II was fed with 0.2% Spirulina platensis powder only till 90th day post-treatment (DPT). Group III was administered 1.6-ppm cadmium. Groups IV and V were administered 1.61-ppm cadmium in triple glass distilled water along with S. platensis powder orally in standard recommended feed at the rate of 0.2% concentration. However, in group V, S. platensis powder was given after 60th DPT till 90th DPT. Three chickens from each group were sacrificed at 15th, 30th, 45th, 60th, 75th and 90th DPT for pathological studies. Histopathological lesions, in liver and kidneys, observed in groups III and V, comprised vascular, degenerative and inflammatory in nature. In lungs, congestion of blood vessels and air capillaries, haemorrhage in lung parenchyma, and infiltration of mononuclear cells observed. Heart showed mild congestion of blood vessels, oedema of cardiac muscles, fragmentation and vacuolation. In brain, vascular, degenerative and inflammatory changes were observed. Intestine showed infiltration of mononuclear cells in mucosal and sub-mucosal layers, mucosal haemorrhage, distortion, sloughing and fusion of villi along with mild glandular hypertrophy. Testes revealed distortion of seminiferous tubules and sloughing of germinal epithelium from basement membrane. Spleen showed mild congestion, oedema and mild depletion of lymphoid cells. Thymus and bursa of Fabricius revealed mild depletion of lymphocytes.