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1. Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), synthetic zeolite (SZ) and bentonite (BNT), when incorporated into the diets at 3, 5 and 5 g/kg respectively, were evaluated for their ability to reduce the deleterious effects of 2.5 mg aflatoxin (AF; 83.06% AFB1, 12.98% AFB2, 2.84% AFG1, and 1.12% AFG2,)/kg diet on growing broiler chickens from 1 day to 3 weeks of age. A total of 210 chicks were divided into 10 treatment groups (control, AF, PVPP, AF plus PVPP, PVPP plus SZ, AF plus PVPP plus SZ, PVPP plus BNT, AF plus PVPP plus BNT, AF plus SZ and AF plus BNT) each consisting of 21 chicks. 2. When compared to control, the AF treatment significantly decreased serum total protein, albumin, inorganic phosphorus, uric acid and total cholesterol, and the values of haematocrit, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, thrombocyte counts, percentage of lymphocyte and monocyte counts; increased values of white blood cell and heterophil counts. 3. Decreased serum albumin caused by AF was significantly ameliorated by PVPP plus BNT. A similar increase was obtained in serum total cholesterol by adding BNT to the AF-containing diet. 4. The serum uric acid, white blood cell counts and percentage of lymphocyte and monocyte counts were numerically intermediate between control and AF values in all of the adsorbent treatments containing AF. The change in thrombocyte counts was alleviated by all of the adsorbent treatments containing AF, except AF plus SZ. The addition of the adsorbents in the AF-free diets did not significantly alter the serum biochemical and haematological parameters compared to controls.

1. Experimental intoxication induced in cockerels with varying doses of aflatoxin fed at the rate of 2.5 micrograms, 5.0 micrograms, and 10.0 micrograms per g of food resulted in appreciable changes in blood biochemical profiles. 2. At all doses the aflatoxin caused decreases in serum total proteins, albumin: globulin ratio, serum total cholesterol, serum calcium and phosphorus and increase in serum globulins, alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate amino transferase (AST) concentrations. 3. No changes in serum bilirubin were observed. 4. Possible mechanisms for such blood biochemical changes are discussed and related to liver cellular damage caused by the aflatoxin toxicity.