Experimental diets (0%, 25%, 50% and 100%) using hydroxypropylated cassava starch (HPCS), was evaluated in rat model for one month, growth, antioxidant status, tissue histology and organ toxicity were investigated relative to animals on regular rat chow. Proximate analysis of HPCS compounded-feed showed protein, fibre and ash contents were lower compared to control feed; rats on HPCS had reduced feed-intake, lowered body-weight and organ-weights compared to control. HPCS feeding decreased

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... icantly (P<0.05) urea and protein levels while creatinine and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6DP) increased significantly (P<0.05) in rats on 25% and 50% HPCS feeds compared to both control rats and 0% HPCS. Furthermore, the activity of ALT and ALP increased significantly (P<0.05), while AST significantly (P<0.05) decreased rats on 25%, 50% and 100% HPCS compared to control and 0% HPCS. HPCS feeding in rats elicited increased oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation as liver catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malonyl dialdehyde (MDA) were significantly (P<0.05) elevated compared to control and NCS. However, only CAT and SOD levels increased in the kidney of rats on HPCS but not MDA. Only rats on 100% HPCS diet, showed centrilobular fatty degeneration and congested veins in the liver histology while animals on other treatment groups had no lesions in both kidney and liver tissues. These results indicate that HPCS may have possible nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic and oxidative effects at different levels of modification and native cassava starch (NCS) or (0%HPCS) should be used with caution for proper growth of rats compared to commercial rat-chow.