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Effects of Vitamin E and Aspirin on the Incidence of Encephalomalacia, Fatty Acid Status and Serum Thromboxane Levels in Chicks¹

G. Bruckner, J. Infante^*, G. F. Combs, Jr.^*,, and J. E. Kinsella

Departments of Food Science Poultry and Avian Science ^* Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

This study was initiated to examine the role of prostanoids (thromboxane) in the development of nutritional encephalomalacia (NE). Chicks were fed diets deficient in or supplemented with vitamin E in the presence or absence of a known prostaglandin inhibitor, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). When the incidence of NE was approximately 50% in the vitamin E-deficient group without ASA supplement, the chicks were killed, and serum thromboxane B₂ (TxB₂) and serum and brain fatty acid (FA) composition were determined. The incidence of NE was not altered by ASA treatment. Plasma arachidonate levels were increased by ASA treatment on the vitamin E-deficient diet. Furthermore, the serum TxB₂ levels in vitamin E-deficient versus vitamin E-adequate chicks, unlike changes noted for rats, were decreased. Aspirin treatment drastically reduced TxB₂ levels in all groups but did not alter the incidence of NE. Therefore, it is unlikely that the development of NE is a result of thromboxane-mediated thrombosis.

KEY WORDS: • prostanoids • thromboxane • chicken • vitamin E • nutritional encephalomalacia

¹ Supported in part by U.S. Department of Agriculture grant No. 83-CRCR-1-1038.

Manuscript received 13 April 1983.