Ferulic acid (FA) is a phenolic compound that has antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antimicrobial, antiviral, and vasodilatory effects. This study was conducted to explore the effects of dietary FA supplementation on antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism in weaned piglets. Eighteen 21-day-old castrated male DLY (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) weaned piglets were randomly divided into control, 0.05%, and 0.45% FA groups. The results showed that, in serum, CAT and T-SOD activities and content of HDL-C were increased, but the content of MDA and the activities of T-CHO and LDL-C were decreased, by FA supplementation. In liver, dietary FA supplementation increased CAT, T-SOD, and GSH-PX activities and upregulated the mRNA levels of SOD1, SOD2, CAT, GST, GPX1, GR, Nrf2, HSL, CPT1b, and PPARα but decreased the contents of MDA and TG. Furthermore, dietary FA supplementation increased the protein level of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO-1. In longissimus dorsi muscle, dietary FA supplementation increased the activity of T-SOD and the mRNA abundance of SOD1, SOD2, CAT, GST, GPX1, GR, and Nrf2 but decreased the contents of MDA and T-CHO. Additionally, dietary FA supplementation increased the protein expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1. Together, our data suggest that FA could improve antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism in weaned piglets.

Alginate oligosaccharide (AOS), produced from alginate by alginate lyase-mediated depolymerisation, is a potential substitute for antibiotics and possesses growth-enhancing effects. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which AOS regulates porcine growth remain to be elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the AOS-mediated changes in the growth performance of weaned pigs by determining the intestinal morphology, barrier function, as well as epithelium apoptosis. Twenty-four weaned pigs were distributed into two groups (n = 12) and received either a basal diet (control group) or the same diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg AOS. On d 15, D-xylose (0.1 g/kg body weight) was orally administrated to eight randomly selected pigs per treatment, and their serum and intestinal mucosa samples were collected 1 h later. Our results showed that inclusion of AOS in the diet for 2 wk increased (P < 0.05) the average daily body weight gain in weaned pigs. Notably, AOS supplementation ameliorated the intestinal morphology and barrier function, as suggested by the enhanced (P < 0.05) intestinal villus height, secretory immunoglobulin A content and goblet cell counts. Compared to the control group, AOS ingestion both decreased (P < 0.05) the total apoptotic percentage and increased (P < 0.05) the proportion of S phase in the intestinal epithelial cells. Furthermore, AOS not only up-regulated (P < 0.05) the B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL2) transcriptional level but also down-regulated (P < 0.05) the B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein (BAX), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3 (caspase-3) and caspase-9 transcriptional levels in the small intestine. In summary, this study provides evidence that supplemental AOS beneficially affects the growth performance of weaned pigs, which may result from the improved intestinal morphology and barrier function, as well as the inhibited enterocyte death, through reducing apoptosis via mitochondria-dependent apoptosis.

One hundred forty-four 25-d-old weaning piglets with BW of 6.43 ± 0.39 kg were used in a 28-d trail to evaluate the effects of dietary addition of spray-dried chicken plasma (SDCP) as a replacement for spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, diarrhea incidence, small intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activity, and microflora. Pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments: 1) CON (control; a basal diet), 2) SDPP (containing 5% SDPP), 3) SDPP + SDCP (containing 2.5% SDPP and 2.5% SDCP), and 4) SDCP (containing 5% SDCP). Six pigs from each treatment were randomly selected to collect serum and intestinal samples. Compared with the CON group, both the SDPP and the SDPP + SDCP groups improved final BW of pigs (P < 0.05), but there were no differences among the SDPP, SDPP + SDCP, and SDCP groups. From d 1 to 14 and d 15 to 28, pigs fed the SDPP and SDPP + SDCP diets had a greater (P < 0.05) ADG than pigs fed the CON diet. During the overall period, both ADG and ADFI of pigs in the SDPP and SDPP + SDCP groups were improved (P < 0.05) compared with pigs in the CON group. Furthermore, pigs fed diets containing SDPP or SDCP had a greater (P < 0.05) apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of CP, ether extract, Ca, and ash and less (P < 0.05) incidence of diarrhea than pigs fed the CON diet. However, no differences were observed for ATTD and diarrhea incidence between the SDPP and SDCP groups. Compared with the CON group, duodenal villus height and the ratio of villi to crypt were increased (P < 0.05) in the SDPP, SDPP + SDCP, and SDCP groups and jejunal crypt depth was decreased in the SDPP + SDCP and SDCP groups (P < 0.05). Pigs in the SDPP group had greater (P < 0.05) activities of amylase, maltase, and trypsin than pigs in the CON group. However, no significant differences were observed between the SDCP and SDPP groups. Additionally, inclusion of SDCP in diet decreased (P < 0.05) the population of Escherichia coli. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the addition of SDCP in pigs' diet had an effect similar to SDPP on improving growth performance through the promotion of the small intestinal development, increasing digestive enzymes activities, enhancing ATTD of nutrients, and decreasing diarrhea incidence.

Early weaning-induced stress causes diarrhoea, thereby reducing the growth performance of piglets. Gut bacterial dysbiosis has emerged as a leading cause of post-weaning diarrhoea. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of capsulized faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the gut bacterial community, immune response and gut barrier function of piglets. Thirty-two weaned barrows were randomly divided into two groups. The recipient group was inoculated orally with capsulized faecal microbiota of healthy Tibetan pigs during the whole period of the trial, while the control group was given an empty capsule. The feed-to-gain ratio, diarrhoea ratio, and histological damage score of recipient piglets were significantly decreased. FMT treatment significantly increased the colon length of piglets. Furthermore, the relative abundances ofFirmicutes,Euryarchaeota,Tenericutes,Lactobacillus, andMethanobrevibacterin the colon of recipient piglets were increased, and the relative abundances ofCampylobacterandProteobacteriawere significantly decreased compared with those in the control group. CD4⁺lymphocytes and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ratio in the peripheral blood of recipient piglets were significantly increased. FMT treatment increased the IL-4 and IL-10 levels and decreased the TNF-α and INF-γ levels in the colonic tissue of piglets. The recipient piglets’ mRNA expression of TLR2, TLR8, NF-κB, and iNOS was significantly regulated. In addition, FMT significantly enhanced the gene expression of ZO-1. Overall, treatment with capsulized FMT ameliorated diarrhoea in piglets, with significant effects on limiting colon inflammatory responses, downregulating the TLR signalling pathway and the gene expression of iNOS, and strengthening intestinal barrier function by modulating the constituents of the gut microbiota.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a gastrointestinal disease that involves chronic mucosal or submucosal lesions that affect tissue integrity. Although IBD is not life-threatening, it sometimes causes severe complications, such as colon cancer. The exact etiology of IBD remains unclear, but several risk factors, such as pathogen infection, stress, diet, age, and genetics, have been involved in the occurrence and aggravation of IBD. Immune system malfunction with the over-production of inflammatory cytokines and associated oxidative stress are the hallmarks of IBD. Dietary intervention and medical treatment suppressing abnormal inflammation and oxidative stress are recommended as potential therapies. Thymol, a natural monoterpene phenol that is mostly found in thyme, exhibits multiple biological functions as a potential adjuvant for IBD. The purpose of this review is to summarize current findings on the protective effect of thymol on intestinal health in the context of specific animal models of IBD, describe the role of thymol in the modulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut microbiota against gastrointestinal disease, and discuss the potential mechanism for its pharmacological activity.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to low levels of dietary aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility and intestinal health in pigs. In a 102-day experiment, fourteen barrows (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire, initial BW = 38.21 ± 0.45 kg) were randomly divided into control (CON, basal diet) and AFB₁ groups (the basal diet supplemented with 280 μg/kg AFB₁). Results revealed that the AFB₁ exposure decreased the final BW, ADFI and ADG in pigs (p < 0.10). AFB₁ exposure also decreased the apparent total tract digestibility of dry mater and gross energy at 50 to 75 kg and 105 to 135 kg stages, and decreased the apparent total tract digestibility of ether extract at 75 to 105 kg stage (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, AFB₁ exposure increased serum diamine oxidase activity and reduced the mRNA abundance of sodium-glucose cotransporter 1, solute carrier family 7 member 1 and zonula occluden-1 in the jejunal mucosa (p < 0.05). Furthermore, AFB₁ exposure decreased superoxide dismutase activity (p < 0.05) and increased 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine content (p < 0.10) in jejunal mucosa. AFB₁ exposure also increased tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β and transforming growth factor-β mRNA abundance in jejunal mucosa and upregulated Escherichia coli population in colon (p < 0.05). The data indicated that chronic exposure to low levels of dietary AFB₁ suppressed growth performance, reduced the apparent total tract digestibility and damaged intestinal barrier integrity in pigs, which could be associated with the decreased intestinal antioxidant capacity and the increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production.