Baicalin is an active ingredient extracted from the Chinese medicine Scutellaria and has many beneficial effects. Pulmonary interstitial and alveolar edema are common symptoms of an acute lung injury (ALI). We investigated the effects of baicalin on LPS-induced inflammation and the underlying mechanisms in mice and cells. The protein contents and mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in RAW264.7 cells and mice were detected using ELISA and qRT-PCR. Baicalin significantly suppressed TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels and expression, both in vitro and in vivo, compared with the LPS group. Baicalin inhibits the expression of TLR4 and MyD88, resulting in significant decreases in p-p65, p-p38, p-ERK, and p-JNK, as measured by the Western blotting of RAW264.7 cells. A baicalin treatment for 12 h resulted in a rapid increasing of the white blood cell number and significantly improved the pathological changes in the lung. We also found that the baicalin pretreatment for 12 h could decrease the MPO content and wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio, which indicates that baicalin can significantly reduce pulmonary edema. Furthermore, the baicalin pretreatment also resulted in the recovery of TGF-β protein levels and decreased iNOS. Baicalin inhibits ALI inflammation in mice and cells and is a potential candidate for the treatment of ALI.

Chromium propionate (Cr-Pro) and calcium propionate (Ca-Pro) are widely applied in dairy production, especially in the alleviation of heat stress (HS). HS can reduce the abundance of rumen microbiota and the lactation performance of dairy cows. The present work mainly focused on evaluating the effects of Cr-Pro and Ca-Pro on the performance, ruminal bacterial community, and stress of postpartum HS dairy cows as well as identifying the differences in their mechanisms. Fifteen multiparous postpartum Holstein cows with equivalent weights (694 ± 28 kg) and milk yields (41.2 ± 1.21 kg/day) were randomly divided into three groups: control (CON), Cr-Pro (CRPR), and Ca-Pro (CAPR). The control cows received the basal total mixed ration (TMR) diet, while the CRPR group received TMR with 3.13 g/day of Cr-Pro, and the CAPR group received TMR with 200 g/day of Ca-Pro. The rumen microbial 16S rRNA was sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq platform along with the measurement of ruminal volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and milking performance. Cr-Pro and Ca-Pro improved lactation performance, increased the rumen VFA concentration, and altered the rumen microbiota of the HS dairy cows. Cr-Pro significantly improved the milk yield (p < 0.01). The richness and diversity of the microbial species significantly increased after feeding on Ca-Pro (p < 0.05). Gene function prediction revealed increased metabolic pathways and biological-synthesis-related function in the groups supplemented with Cr-Pro and Ca-Pro. Our results indicate that the application of Cr-Pro or Ca-Pro can provide relief for heat stress in dairy cows through different mechanisms, and a combination of both is recommended for optimal results in production.

The present study was conducted regarding four acute-phase proteins (APPs) including C-reactive protein (CRP), ceruloplasmin (CP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and haptoglobin (HP) in dairy goats during the periparturient period. The aim of this study was to detect the changes in APPs in plasma during the periparturient period of healthy dairy goats. Guanzhong dairy goats with no other symptoms (n = 15) were selected on the basis of their blood calcium (Ca) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentration. The plasma was collected once a week for ±3 weeks delivery. The concentrations of the four APPs mentioned above were determined using goat-specific ELISA kits. The results showed the CRP level in plasma decreased from 3 weeks to 1 week antepartum and increased later until 1 week postpartum and then decreased to a similar level with antepartum between 1 and 3 weeks postpartum. The content of CP showed a decline in 3 weeks before parturition and an upward trend between 1 week antepartum and 3 weeks postpartum. The SAA concentration decreased from 3 weeks antepartum to 2 weeks postpartum and rebounded later. The level of HP decreased during 3 weeks before parturition and increased until 1 week postpartum, then reached a stable value. Clear variation range and rules of APPs contribute to perinatal health monitoring of dairy goats.

Neonatal calves experience considerable oxidative and metabolic challenges during the transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life, but whether maternal chromium propionate (CrPro) supplementation before calving improves neonatal antioxidant status through early-life microbial metabolism remains unclear. This study evaluated the effects of prepartum maternal CrPro supplementation on antioxidant capacity and microbial metabolic characteristics in neonatal calves. Forty-eight prepartum Holstein cows were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments (16 cows per treatment). After application of prespecified eligibility criteria, 30 dam–calf pairs were analyzed (10 replicates per treatment; maternal body weight, 651.87 ± 2.84 kg; parity, 2.40 ± 0.13; body condition score, 3.48 ± 0.03; means ± SEM). From 21 d before expected calving until parturition, cows received a basal total mixed ration without supplemental CrPro (Con) or the same ration supplemented with CrPro at 10 g·cow⁻¹·d⁻¹ (CrL) or 20 g·cow⁻¹·d⁻¹ (CrH), providing 4 and 8 mg Cr(III)·cow⁻¹·d⁻¹, respectively. Calf blood and meconium samples were collected within 30 min after birth and before colostrum intake. Calves in the CrH group had greater body weight than Con calves at birth and at 7 and 14 d of age (P ≤ 0.05). Maternal CrPro supplementation dose-dependently increased calf plasma Cr(III). Compared with Con, CrH increased total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05) and catalase activity (P < 0.001), decreased malondialdehyde (P < 0.01), and increased meconium short-chain fatty acid concentrations (P < 0.001). Plasma Cr(III) was positively correlated with antioxidant and short-chain fatty acid measures and negatively correlated with malondialdehyde (all P < 0.05). Metagenomic analysis indicated that CrH enriched a butyrate-producing microbial consortium, strengthened microbial co-occurrence networks, and increased the microbial potential for butyrate synthesis. Plasma metabolomics identified the oxidized phosphatidylcholine PAz-PC as a major negative mediator of catalase activity. Integrated analyses suggested two complementary pathways: meconium butyrate may enhance catalase activity through Nrf2/HO-1 signaling, whereas reduced plasma PAz-PC may relieve catalase inhibition. In conclusion, prepartum maternal CrPro supplementation improved antioxidant capacity in newborn calves, potentially through enrichment of butyrate-producing bacteria and attenuation of PAz-PC-associated catalase inhibition, providing a maternal nutritional strategy to support early-life antioxidant health in neonatal ruminants.