Mentha piperita as a promising feed additive used to protect liver, bone, and meat of Japanese quail against aflatoxin B1.

The present study was conducted to evaluate aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) detoxification effects of some medicinal plants under both in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro experiment was performed with 25 treatments in 5 replications. The samples of medicinal plants were incubated with AFB1 for 72 h, and the toxin residual in the supernatant was determined. The highest aflatoxin elimination was found to be related to peppermint (81%). Thereafter, in vivo experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of peppermint dried leaves, essential oil, and menthol on liver, bone, and meat, as well as the performance of growing Japanese quail fed diet contaminated with AFB1. A total of 640 7-day-old Japanese quails were assigned using a completely randomized design as 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with two levels of AFB1 (including 0 and 2.5 mg/kg diet) and four treatments (including no additive; peppermint powder, 20 g/kg; peppermint essential oil, 800 mg/kg; and menthol powder, 400 mg/kg). Those birds fed AFB1-contaminated diet with no additives showed the worst liver health status by considering super oxide dismutase (P = 0.0399), glutathione peroxidase (P = 0.0139), alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.0001), and aspartate aminotransferase levels (P = 0.0512). However, the supplementation of AFB1 contaminated diet with additives improved their liver health status. Menthol receiving birds showed the highest tibia strength, while the birds fed with AFB1-contaminated diet with no additives had the weakest bone strength (P < 0.0001). A significant increase was also observed in malondialdehyde level of meat by dietary inclusion of AFB1, which was well-repressed by the dietary supplementation of peppermint essential oil and menthol (P = 0.0075). Body weight gain dramatically decreased by adding AFB1 to the diet, which was recovered with the dietary supplementation of additives (P = 0.0585). According to the results of the current study, peppermint and its derivatives can be used to suppress aflatoxin effects on the liver, bone, and meat quality and to improve the performance of Japanese quails.