Effect of dietary natural supplements on immune response and mineral bioavailability in piglets after weaning

Abstract

Plants and plant extracts (PPEs) have gained increasing interest as feed additives and possible replacing antibiotics for pig productions. The effects of dietary Chlorella vulgaris (1%), sodium alginate (0.1%), inulin (1.5%), and a mixture of essential oils (0.04%) supplements on immune response, and bioavailability of some micronutrients (iron − Fe, copper − Cu, manganese − Mn, and zinc − Zn) were investigated in weaned piglets in this study. The results showed that the concentration of IgG was increased in the plasma of pigs fed the PPEs supplemented diets being significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the case of dietary sodium alginate supplementation in comparison to the control (6.00 vs. 4.03 mg/ml). In liver, PPEs, especially inulin and essential oils, were able to modulate the level of cytokine production and mineral retention, resulting in higher liver concentration of IL-1β (125.4 and 88.9%), IL-8 (136.9 and 61.3%), TNF-a (296.6 and 121.6%), and IFN-γ (51.2 and 107.28%), Cu (71.31 ppm), and Fe (192.56 ppm) in comparison to the control. The results of this experiment indicate that natural supplements investigated herein, especially inulin, essential oils, and sodium alginate had the ability to potentiate both the immune function and mineral retention during the initial post weaning period.

Differentially expressed proteins in the blood serum of piglets in response to a diet supplemented with inulin

“…The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are difficult to explain, and remain unclear. In addition, we found no the effect of inulin on the level of IgA and IgM in growing piglets, which is consistent with the results of Taranu et al (2012). Similar results of these authors were obtained with respect to the total plasma IgG concentration (Taranu et al 2012).…”

Effects of dietary supplementation of red pepper (Schinus terebinthifoliusRaddi) essential oil on performance, small intestinal morphology and microbial counts of weanling pigs

“…Brazilian red pepper is known to have pharmacological properties to prevent diarrhea, which have been attributed to the phenolic compounds present in its fruits . The use of compounds such as limonene, eugenol, pinene, and cinnamaldehyde, as well as plant extracts such as fennel, quince, basil and lemon balm, have been reported to reduce the clinical symptoms of diarrhea in piglets, being thought to be associated with an improved immune status owing to the changes in the gut microbiota, as observed in this study.…”

Two different forms and levels of CuSO₄ in piglet feeding: liver, plasma and faeces copper status

“…The ranking of importance indicated that liver Cu content ranks highest in both situations (EMFEMA, 2002). Results on copper liver content in the CON group are in agreement with values found by Taranu et al (2012) in 39-day-old piglets fed a reference diet containing 20 mg of copper (24 mg · kg -1 DM vs 21.24). A concentration of 28 mg · kg -1 DM was found in the livers of a control group of piglets fed without added Cu (the basal diet contained 15 mg · kg -1 of Cu) (Apgar et al, 1995).…”