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Liu M, Huang J, Ma M, Huang G, Zhang Y, Ding Y, Qu Q, Lv W, Guo S. Effects of dietary Chinese herbal mixtures on productive performance, egg quality, immune status, caecal and offspring meconial microbiota of Wenchang breeder hens. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1320469. [PMID: 38162476 PMCID: PMC10755868 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1320469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Chinese herbal mixtures (CHMs) on productive performance, egg quality, immune status, anti-apoptosis ability, caecal microbiota, and offspring meconial microbiota in hens. A total of 168 thirty-week-old Wenchang breeder hens were randomly divided into two groups, with each group comprising six replicate pens of fourteen hens. The groups were fed a basal diet (CON group) and a basal diet with 1,000 mg/kg CHMs (CHMs group) for 10 weeks. Our results showed that dietary supplementation with CHMs increased the laying rate, average egg weight, hatch of fertile, and offspring chicks' weight while concurrently reducing the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and embryo mortality (p < 0.05). The addition of CHMs resulted in significant improvements in various egg quality parameters, including eggshell strength, albumen height, haugh unit, and the content of docosatetraenoic acid (C20:4n-6) in egg yolk (p < 0.05). The supplementation of CHMs had a greater concentration of IgA and IgG while decreasing the content of IL-6 in serum compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). Addition of CHMs to the diet increased the expression of Bcl-2 and IL-4 in liver and ovary, decreased the expression of IL-1β, Bax, and Caspase-8 in jejunum and ovary, and decreased the expression of NF-κB in liver, jejunum, and ovary (p < 0.05). Moreover, dietary CHMs reduced the abundance of Desulfovibrio in caecal microbiota as well as decreased the abundance of Staphylococcaceae_Staphylococcus and Pseudomonadaceae_Pseudomonas in the offspring meconial microbiota (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the CHMs could improve productive parameters by enhancing immune status, anti-apoptosis capacity, and modulating the caecal microbiota of Wenchang breeder hens, as well as maintaining the intestinal health of the offspring chicks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jieyi Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gengxiong Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingwen Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiqing Ding
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Qu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weijie Lv
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shining Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Technology Research Center for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Natural Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- International Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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Zhang J, Zhao Q, Qin Y, Si W, Zhang H, Zhang J. The Effect of Epimedium Isopentenyl Flavonoids on the Broiler Gut Health Using Microbiomic and Metabolomic Analyses. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087646. [PMID: 37108810 PMCID: PMC10141048 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Epimedium (EM), also known as barrenwort, is a traditional medicinal plant rich in isopentenyl flavonols, which have beneficial biological activities and can improve human and animal health, but its mechanism is still unclear. In this study, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) were used to analyse the main components of EM, and isopentenyl flavonols such as Epimedin A, B, and C as well as Icariin were the major components of EM. Meanwhile, broilers were selected as model animals to illuminate the mechanism of Epimedium isopentenyl flavonols (EMIE) on gut health. The results showed that supplementation with 200 mg/kg EM improved the immune response, increased cecum short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and lactate concentrations, and improved nutrient digestibility in broilers. In addition, 16S rRNA sequencing showed that EMIE altered the composition of cecal microbiome, increasing the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria (Candidatus Soleaferrea and Lachbospiraceae NC2004 group and Butyricioccus) and reducing that of harmful bacteria (UBA1819, Negativibacillus, and Eisenbergiella). Metabolomic analysis identified 48 differential metabolites, of which Erosnin and Tyrosyl-Tryptophan were identified as core biomarkers. Erosnin and tyrosyl-tryptophan are potential biomarkers to evaluate the effects of EMIE. This shows that EMIE may regulate the cecum microbiota through Butyricicoccus, with changes in the relative abundance of the genera Eisenbergiella and Un. Peptostreptococcaceae affecting the serum metabolite levels of the host. EMIE is an excellent health product, and dietary isopentenyl flavonols, as bioactive components, can improve health by altering the microbiota structure and the plasma metabolite profiles. This study provides the scientific basis for the future application of EM in diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Scientific Observing and Experiment Station of Animal Genetic Resources and Nutrition in North China of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qingyu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Scientific Observing and Experiment Station of Animal Genetic Resources and Nutrition in North China of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yuchang Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Scientific Observing and Experiment Station of Animal Genetic Resources and Nutrition in North China of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wei Si
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Scientific Observing and Experiment Station of Animal Genetic Resources and Nutrition in North China of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Huiyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Scientific Observing and Experiment Station of Animal Genetic Resources and Nutrition in North China of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Junmin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Scientific Observing and Experiment Station of Animal Genetic Resources and Nutrition in North China of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
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