Effects of a plant product consisting of green tea and curcuma extract on milk production and the expression of hepatic genes involved in endoplasmic stress response and inflammation in dairy cows

Abstract

During the periparturient phase, cows are typically in an inflammation-like condition, and it has been proposed that inflammation associated with the induction of stress of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in the liver contributes to the development of fatty liver syndrome and ketosis. In the present study, the hypothesis that supplementation of dairy cows with a plant product consisting of green tea (95%) and curcuma extract (5%) rich in polyphenols attenuates inflammation and ER stress in the liver during early lactation was investigated. Twenty-seven cows were assigned to two groups, either a control group (n=14) or a treatment group (n=13). Both groups of cows received a total mixed ration, and the ration of the treatment group was supplemented with 0.175 g of the plant product per kg dry matter from week 3 prepartum to week 9 postpartum. Dry matter intake and energy balance during week 2 to week 9 postpartum were not different between the two groups. However, cows supplemented with the plant product had a greater amount of energy-corrected milk during week 2 to week 9 postpartum and lower concentrations of triacylglycerols and cholesterol in the liver in week 1 and week 3 postpartum than cows of the control group (p<0.05). Cows supplemented with the plant product showed a trend towards a reduced mRNA concentration of haptoglobin (p<0.10), while relative mRNA concentrations of eight genes of the unfolded protein response considered in the liver were not different between the two groups of cows. Relative hepatic mRNA concentration of fibroblast growth factor, a stress hormone induced by various stress conditions, was reduced at week 1 and week 3 postpartum in cows supplemented with the plant product (p<0.05). Overall, the data of this study suggest that--although there were only minor effects on the occurrence of ER stress and inflammation--a supplementation of polyphenols might be useful to improve milk yield and prevent fatty liver syndrome in dairy cows.

Potential of plant polyphenols to combat oxidative stress and inflammatory processes in farm animals

“…In a recent study of our group, supplementation of polyphenol‐rich grape seed and grape marc meal extract at a dietary level of 1% also did not improve the plasma antioxidant status of dairy cows (as assessed by determination of α‐tocopherol, β‐carotene, TBARS and total antioxidative capacity in plasma) (Gessner et al., ). In another study, feeding a polyphenol‐rich plant product consisting of green tea and curcuma extract also did not exert antioxidant effects in dairy cows (Winkler et al., ). Collectively, it can be stated that, like in most studies with monogastric animals, the antioxidant status of dairy cattle is less influenced by supplementation of feed rations with polyphenols from plant sources.…”

“…Conversely, inhibition of the proinflammatory condition during the peripartal phase in dairy cows by early post‐partum treatment with non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs led to a significant increase in milk yield over the whole lactation period and caused a reduction in somatic cell count in milk being indicative of an improved udder health (Carpenter et al., ). According to these findings, investigations aiming to prevent the proinflammatory condition during the peripartal phase, either by optimization of feeding regimes pre‐partum (Khan et al., ; Zhou et al., ; Vailati‐Riboni et al., ) or by administration of potential antiinflammatory feed supplements (Gessner et al., ,b; Hashemzadeh‐Cigari et al., ; Winkler et al., ), are of great relevance.…”

“…In the study from Winkler et al. (), the effect of feeding a polyphenol‐rich plant product was also investigated on genes of inflammation and ER stress in the liver of dairy cows. Feeding the polyphenol‐rich plant product caused a downregulation of a set of genes involved in inflammation and ER stress, which, however, failed to be significant for most genes.…”

Nutritional applications and beneficial health applications of green tea and l‐theanine in some animal species: A review

“…In the study of Winkler et al (2015), the authors found that the supplementation of cow feed with a combination of 95% green tea and 5% curcumin extract to dairy cows could reduce inflammation and alleviate stressed ER condition in lactating cows. In the study of Winkler et al (2015), the authors found that the supplementation of cow feed with a combination of 95% green tea and 5% curcumin extract to dairy cows could reduce inflammation and alleviate stressed ER condition in lactating cows.…”

Beneficial Effects of Green Tea Catechin on Veterinary Sciences and Bacterial Infections

“…S. aureus is the most common cases of mastitis in dairy cows. In Belgium, MRSA isolates obtained from bovine mastitis cases was first reported in the 1970 [39]. EGCG shows antibacterial effects to not only S. aureus but also MRSA.…”