LIVER, KIDNEY FUNCTIONS AND OXIDATIVE STRESS STATUS AS AFFECTED BY SUPPLEMENTATION OF RED HOT PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUM) IN RATION OF FATTENING RABBIT’S

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of red hot pepper (RHP) as a natural antioxidant on liver, kidney functions and oxidative stress status of fattening rabbit’s. A total of 48 New Zealand white rabbits, unsexed rabbits,42 days-old, 1081.10 ± 60.12g were used in a complete randomized design. In this study rabbits were weighed individually and assigned randomly to three groups of 16 animals ∕ each with 8 replicates of 2 animals each. Three experimental diets were formulated to meet the nutrient requirements. Diet one served as control basal diet with no RHP, diet 2 and 3 supplement red hot pepper to the basal diet (RHP) at two levels (1 and 2%), respectively. Also, the present results illustrated that rabbits fed 1% or 2% RHP had no significant effect on the values of live body weights at the end of the experimental period and also on   absolute and relative liver and kidney weights compared to control dietary treatment. In addition, the studied parameters were; liver, kidney functions and some oxidative stress enzymes. The results showed that addition of 1and/or 2 RHP improved (P<0.05) Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity compared to control group and at the same time1%RHP decreased (P<0.05) serum urea and creatinine levels, while  serum uric acid concentration increased (P<0.05) compared whit control group. Furthermore, addition of 1 and/or 2 RHP to rabbit diets increased (P<0.05) the activity of oxidative stress enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) compared with control group. This study showed that RHP when added into fattening rabbit diets has no adverse effects on liver and kidney functions and enhancing its oxidative stress. Also, the present result indicated that adding RHP had not any effect on serum total protein and albumin, while treatments 1% and or 2% led to highest (P<0.05)  globulin levels compared with control group. Also, the results indicated that there  were  no effect of treatments on the structure of cells in liver or kidney. Generally, from the present results it can be concluded that supplementation of RHP at a level of1% and 2% in the ration of fattening rabbit led to improvement of physiological responses as a result of positive effect on blood metabolites.