Asian Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances1683-99191996-3289Academic Journals Inc.10.3923/ajava.2011.609.617Spirulina platensis in Growing Rats]]>SixabelaP.S.S. ChivandiE. BadenhorstM. ErlwangerK.H. 6201166Spirulina is a nutritional supplement that has gained worldwide popularity due to its high nutritional content. Although the spirulina based products are mainly targeted at adult humans there is an increased use of the supplements by young children and animal owners might feed spiruline to their pets or livestock which could have long term and irreversible effects on them. The effect of Spirulina platensis on the viscera, morphology and morphometry of growing rats was investigated in 23 female Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group 1 served as a control, group 2 received low dose of 150 mg kg-1 Spirulina daily, and group 3 received a high dose of 1500 mg kg-1 daily to investigate its possible adverse effects. After three and a half weeks of supplementation all groups of rats showed a significant body mass gain. Spirulina significantly increased tibial length (ANOVA; p = 0.0073) and visceral fat (p = 0.0013) but there was no significant effect on the abdominal viscera morphology and morphometry. Spirulina did not cause any hepato-toxicity as measured by blood alanine amino transaminase and histology.]]>Abd El-Baky, H.H., F.K. El-Baz and G.S. El-Baroty,20032222240Bin-Meferij, M.M.,2009Spirulina sp. against cancer in experimental animals.]]>53643Buddington, R.K. and A.J. Lepine,19991999pp: 409-422pp: 409-422Ciferri, O.,1983Spirulina, the edible microorganism.]]>47551578Deng, H., D. Lai, T. Conway, J. Li, F. Xu, K.M. Davis and R. Recker,20014353361De Oliveira, M.A.C.L., M.P.C. Monteiro, P.G. Robbs and S.G.F. Leite,1999Spirulina maxima and Spirulina platensis biomass at different temperatures.]]>7261275Fritton, J.C., E.R. Myers, T.M. Wright and M.C.H. van der Meulen,20053610301038Hen, L.K., D.X. Li, L. Xiang, X.J. Gong, Y. Kondo, I. Suzuki and H. Okuda,2006Spirulina platensis and it reduces postprandial triacylglycerolaemia.]]>1264349Ishimi, Y. and F. Sugiyama,200670393400Iwasa, M., M. Yamamoto, Y. Tanaka, M. Kaito and Y. Adachi,20029732123213Kamerman, P.R., B.M.E. Modisa and N.R. Mphahlele,200429431435Khan, Z., P. Bhadouria and P.S. Bisen,2005Spirulina.]]>6373379Linderoth, A., M. Biernat, O. Prykhodko, I. Kornilovska, A. Pusztai, S.G. Pierzynowski and B.R. Westrom,2005Phaseolus vulgaris lectin exposure in suckling rats.]]>41195203Lowry, O.H., N.J. Rosebrough, A.L. Farr and R.J. Randall,1951193265275Loxham, S.J.G., J. Teague, S.M. Poucher, J. de Schoolmester, A.V. Turnbull and F. Carey,2007in vivo assessment of Glycogen phosphorlyase inhibitor efficacy.]]>557177Mazokopakis, E., C.M. Karefilakis, A.N. Tsartsalis, A.N. Milkas and E.S. Ganotakis,2008Arthrospira platensis).]]>15525527Pacha, J.,20008016331667Parikh, P., Mani and U. Iyer,20014193199Passonneau, J.V. and V.R. Lauderdale,197460405412Rasool, M., E.P. Sabina and B. Lavanya,2006Spirulina fusiformis on adjuvant-induced arthritis in mice.]]>2924832487Salazar, M., G.A. Chamorro, S. Salazar and C.E. Steele,1996Spirulina maxima consumption on reproduction and peri and postnatal development in rats.]]>34353359Simpore, J., F. Zongo, F. Kabore, D. Dansou and A. Bere et al.,200549373380Simsek, N., A. Karadeniz, Y. Kalkan, O.N. Keles and B. Unal,2009Spirulina platensis feeding inhibited the anaemia and leucopenia-induced lead and cadmium in rats.]]>16413041309Strader, A.D. and S.C. Woods,2005128175191Srivastava, A.R., S. Kumar, G.G. Agarwal and P. Ranjan,20073810691074Voltarelli, F.A. and M.A. de Mello,200847393400Vonshak, A.,2002Spirulina platensis (Arthrospira).]]>2002pp: 1-2pp: 1-2Atassi, G. and H.J. Tagnon,197511599607Bligh, E.G. and W.J. Dyer,195937911917