Dietary supplementation with the extract from Eucommia ulmoides leaves changed epithelial restitution and gut microbial community and composition of weanling piglets

Abstract

This study was conducted to compare the effects of Eucommia ulmoides leaves (EL) in different forms (EL extract, fermented EL, and EL powder) with antibiotics on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and the microbiota composition and diversity of weanling piglets. Compared to the control group, the antibiotics and EL extract significantly increased the average daily gain and decreased the feed: gain ratio as well as the diarrhea rate (P < 0.05). The EL extract significantly decreased the crypt depth and increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (P < 0.05), while the fermented EL group did the opposite (P < 0.05). The crypt depth in the antibiotics group was of similar value to the EL extract group, and was lower than the fermented EL and EL powder groups (P < 0.05). Compared to the control and antibiotics groups, the jejunul claudin-3 mRNA expression and the concentrations of total VFA, Chao 1, and ACE were significantly augmented in the EL extract group of piglets (P < 0.05). The EL extract groups also showed elevated Shannon (P < 0.05) and Simpson (P = 0.07) values relative to the control and antibiotics groups. At the phylum level, the EL extract group exhibited a reduced abundance of Bacteroidetes and an enhanced abundance of Firmicutes. At the genus level, the abundance of Prevotella was augmented in the EL extract group. Moreover, compared with the antibiotic group, the acetate concentration was enhanced in the EL extract and fermented EL groups. Overall, dietary supplementation with the EL extract, but not the fermented EL or EL powder, improved growth performance, jejunul morphology and function, as well as changed colonic microbial composition and diversity, which might be an alternative to confer protection against weanling stress in weanling piglets.

Effects of dietary eucommia ulmoides leaf extract on growth performance, expression of feeding-related genes, activities of digestive enzymes, antioxidant capacity, immunity and cytokines expression of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) larvae

“…In the present study, dietary ELE supplementation improved the activities of AKP and LAP in BBM, indicating that ELE played an important role in promoting larval intestinal development. Similar results were also observed in early-weaned piglets with incomplete digestive tract development (24,68) .…”

Effects of Different Supplemental Levels of Eucommia ulmoides Leaf Extract in the Diet on Carcass Traits and Lipid Metabolism in Growing–Finishing Pigs

“…This might have been due to the strong aromatic compounds in E. ulmoides leaf, which might have affected the palatability of the feed. However, our results differ from some previous studies (10,11), which might have been due to different processing technologies and amounts of ELE supplements used, while ELE supplements had no negative effects on growth performance. Human consumption of meat products containing a large amount of fat may pose a threat to health; long-term consumption may induce cardiovascular diseases and obesity (20).…”

“…Studies into the potential of Eucommia ulmoides as a feed supplement in Chinese herbal medicine have been gradually developed. Previous studies focused on the effects of Eucommia ulmoides leaf and its extracts on growth performance and antioxidant activity in pigs (9)(10)(11). However, at present, there are few studies on the effect of Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts (ELE) on lipid metabolism in growing-finishing pigs, and the optimal supplement level is also unknown.…”

Influences of dietary Eucommia ulmoides extract on growth, flesh quality, antioxidant capacity and collagen-related genes expression in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus)

“…As a traditional herb widely used in East Asia, Eucommia ulmoides (EU) has many functions in human including enhancing bones strength, antioxidant capacity, immunity and reducing body fattiness [3]. In recent years, EU has been reported as feed additive in rabbit [4], pig [5,6], chicken [7,8] and sh [9][10][11]. Studies have shown that EU promoted the esh quality by increasing muscle collagen of aquatic animals, such as eel Anguilla japonica [12], crucian carp Carassius auratus gibelio [13], grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus [9,14] and white shrimp Penaeus vannamei [15], but the mechanism is unclear.…”