ABSTRACT
Sixty barrows (Duroc × Labdrace × Yorkshine) were randomly assigned to two groups by weight of 33 kg,each of which was replicated three times with ten pigs. Half of the pigs were fed with diets containing 10 mg/kg lead and 0.5% particulate montmorillonite,the other half pigs were fed only with diets supplemented 10 mg/kg lead as control groups for 100 days.The results showed that the addition of particulate montmorillonite to the diet significantly decreased lead concentration in tissues such as blood,brain,liver,bone,kidney and hair and enhanced the erythropoiesis as measured by increasing numbers of RBC,hemoglobin and hematocrit values ,and elevated ALA-D activity in liver. The damage of lead to the liver was evident in the increases in hepatic concentration of malondialdehyde (+ 17.08% );decreases in the antioxidant enzymes catalase(-85.73 % ),superoxide dismutase ( - 52.17% ) and glutathione peroxidase ( - 47.56% ). Concomitant use of particulate montmorillonite in the diets completely ameliorated the lead-induced oxidative damage. It indicated that particulate montmorillonite is possessed of the potential therapeutic activity against lead poison.