Nitrate toxicity in rabbits [electronic resource]: 2-ascorbic acid ability to detoxify the nitrate contaminated drinking water.

Includes references.

This work was carried out to evaluate the ability of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) to alleviation the toxic effect of sodium-nitrate (Na-nitrate) in drinking water. Seventy two New-Zealand White (NZW) male and female rabbits (3 months age) with nearly similar body weight (2.00kg), were used in six experimental groups (12 each) for nine weeks. The control group (T1) drank tap water without Na- nitrate or vitamin C addition, 2nd group (T2) drank water with 1.0g vitamin C/ liter without Na-nitrate addition, 5rd and 3th group (T3 & T5) drank water with 1500 and 2000 mg Na-nitrate/ liter without ascorbic acid addition, respectively and 4th and 6th group (T4 & T6) drank water with 1500 and 2000 mg Na- nitrate/ liter plus 1.0gm vitamin C/liter, respectively. The obtained results showed that Na-nitrate addition significantly (P < 0.05) decreased feed and water intake, while improved with vitamin C addition during the total experimental period (9 weeks). Addition of vitamin C to drinking water contained 1500 and 2000 mg Na- nitrate/ liter improved the digestibility coefficients of the most nutrients which led to improved the nutritive values and growth performance of the tested diets. Also, addition of vitamin C improved the most tested blood constituents (hemoglobin, RBC's count, AST, ALT activities, total protein and albumin concentrations). Vitamin C addition alleviated and improved the histopathological lesions of liver, kidney, lung and heart compared with those consumed Na-nitrate free - vitamin C.

Summary in Arabic.

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