This study was conducted to evaluate effects of the single and combined use of curcumin (CUR) and piperine (PIP) on performance, intestinal barrier function, and antioxidant capacity of weaned piglets. A total of 50 Wuzhishan piglets weaned at 35 days of age were randomly assigned to five groups receiving a corn–soybean basal diet (CON), the basal diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg piperine, 200 mg/kg curcumin (low-CUR), 200 mg/kg curcumin + 50 mg/kg piperine (PIP + CUR), and 300 mg/kg curcumin (high-CUR), respectively. The results showed that the feed/gain ratio (F/G) and plasma d-lactate and diamine oxidase activity (DAO) of the CUR + PIP and high-CUR groups were lower than those of the CON group (all P < 0.05), while the jejunum and ileum villus height, the villus height/crypt depth ratio, and the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of occludin, claudin-1, and zonula occluden-1 in jejunal and ileal mucosa were higher in the CUR + PIP and high-CUR groups than in the CON group (all P < 0.05). Moreover, the piglets in the CUR + PIP and high-CUR groups had higher serum and intestinal mucosa activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and lower malonaldehyde concentration than piglets in the CON group (all P < 0.05). The above parameters were not significantly different between the CUR + PIP and high-CUR groups (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the combination of CUR and PIP seemed to be as advantageous as high-CUR to piglets, but it was more effective than the single use of CUR and PIP. These data indicated that the basal diet supplemented with CUR + PIP or high-CUR could improve the intestinal permeability and suppress oxidative stress of weaned Wuzhishan piglets.

To evaluate the effects of weaning age on intestinal mucosal morphology, expressions of tight junction proteins and inflammatory cytokines, as well as secretory IgA (sIgA) of Wuzhishan piglets, a total of 96 piglets at 1-day old with an average body weight of 0.56 ± 0.07 kg were randomly divided into four treatments with four replicates per treatment and 6 pigs per replicate. Piglets in those four treatments were weaned at the age of 21(21W), 28(28W), 35 (35W) and 42 (42W) days, respectively. Blood sample was collected for determining plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactate at 28, 35, 42, 49 and 56 days old. The jejunum and ileum segments were collected for morphology analysis, and mucosa samples were collected for Real-time PCR and sIgA measurements at 56 days old. The results showed that: compared with the 21W groups, piglets in 35W and 42W groups significantly decreased DAO activity and D-lactate level at 28 to 35 days and 56 days old (p < .05), increased mRNA levels of occludin and zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) in jejunal and ileal mucosa (p < .05) and claudin in ileal mucosa (p < .05) and reduced the sIgA contents in jejunum and ileum (p < .05) at 56 days old. By contrary, the intestinal mucosal morphology and mRNA levels of cytokines in jejuna and ileal mucosa at 56 days old were not significantly different among the treatments (p > .05). Results suggest that weaning at 35 or 42 days old may be beneficial to intestinal barrier function, whereas weaning at 21 days old promoted sIgA expression.

The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of dietary lycopene on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens. We randomly divided five hundred and seventy-six one-day-old male broilers into four groups each with six replicates and 24 chickens in each replicate. The control group (CG) was fed the basal diet, and the other groups were given powder lycopene of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg lycopene (LP10, LP20, and LP30, respectively). Compared with the control group, (1) the dietary lycopene increased (p = 0.001) the average daily gain and decreased (p = 0.033) the feed conversion ratio in the experimental groups; (2) the glutathione peroxidase enzyme contents in LP20 were higher (p =< 0.001) in myocardium; (3) the crude protein contents were higher (p = 0.007) in the group treated with 30 mg/kg dietary lycopene; (4) the jejunum villous height was higher (p = 0.040) in LP20; (5) the Unclassified-f-Ruminococcaceae relative abundance was significantly higher (p = 0.043) in LP20. In this study, adding 20 mg/kg dietary lycopene to the broiler chickens’ diets improved the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens.