Effects of dietary supplementation of alfalfa polysaccharides on growth performance, small intestinal enzyme activities, morphology, and large intestinal selected microbiota of piglets

Zhang, C.Y.; Gan, Liping; Du, Meiyu; Shang, Qinghui; Xie, Yizhao; Zhang, G.G.

doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2019.01.027

Cited by 21 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) is an extensively cultured, dual purpose plant that has been generally used as forage for livestock or a kind of functional food for humans due to its high-quality protein [1,2,3] and immunomodulation bioactivity [4,5]. Prior studies have reported that there are noncellulosic polysaccharides in alfalfa, and subsequent research also clarified that those polysaccharides exert immunomodulatory [6], anti-inflammatory [7,8], antioxidant/anticancer [9,10], and growth-promoting bioactivities [11,12]. In addition, some dietary fiber and indigestible phytogenic polysaccharides can increase intestinal microbiota biodiversity and reduce the incidence of chronic disease [13,14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, the polysaccharides in alfalfa (APS) have been regarded as a natural alternative to antibiotics when added to animal diets because they promote growth performance and have no toxic or other side effects in animals [3,15,16]; also, they have been used as functional agents or foods [16,17]. In recent years, a number of studies concentrated on investigating the extraction method, molecular structure, and biological activities of APS [8]. Aspinall and Gestetner (1968) firstly documented that there are two kinds of polysaccharides in alfalfa involving the hemicellulose and pectin.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, it is important to build a feasible method for extracting and purifying alfalfa polysaccharides (APS) to develop new functional foods or pharmaceutical agents [13,19]. Recently, there has been an increasing number of studies that have focused on the extracting technologies, biological activities [20,21,22], and molecular mechanisms of various plant-derived polysaccharides [8,23]. However, there is still some controversy surrounding the relationship between the components and bioactivities of APS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, there is still some controversy surrounding the relationship between the components and bioactivities of APS. In our previous study, it was ascertained that the antioxidant properties of APS which could relieve the oxidant stress in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) induced using H 2 O 2 by activating the MAPK/P38 pathways and inhibiting the NK-κB pathways [8,23]. Meanwhile, a number of plant-derived polysaccharides have been suggested to modulate immune system function and have been applied in animals or humans as an immune-enhanced adjuvant [24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Extract Methods, Molecular Characteristics, and Bioactivities of Polysaccharide from Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Zhang

et al. 2019

Nutrients

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The polysaccharide isolated from alfalfa was considered to be a kind of macromolecule with some biological activities; however, its molecular structure and effects on immune cells are still unclear. The objectives of this study were to explore the extraction and purifying methods of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) polysaccharide (APS) and decipher its composition and molecular characteristics, as well as its activation to lymphocytes. The crude polysaccharides isolated from alfalfa by water extraction and alcohol precipitation methods were purified by semipermeable membrane dialysis. Five batches of alfalfa samples were obtained from five farms (one composite sample per farm) and three replicates were conducted for each sample in determination. The results from ion chromatography (IC) analysis showed that the APS was composed of fucose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, galactose, galacturonic acid (GalA), and glucuronic acid (GlcA) with a molar ratio of 2.6:8.0:4.7:21.3:3.2:1.0:74.2:14.9. The weight-average molecular weight (Mw), number-average molecular weight (Mn), and Z-average molecular weight (Mz) of APS were calculated to be 3.30 × 106, 4.06 × 105, and 1.43 × 108 g/mol, respectively, according to the analysis by gel permeation chromatography-refractive index-multiangle laser light scattering (GPC-RI-MALS). The findings of electron ionization mass spectrometry (EI-MS) suggest that APS consists of seven linkage residues, namely 1,5-Araf, galactose (T-D-Glc), glucose (T-D-Gal), 1,4-Gal-Ac, 1,4-Glc, 1,6-Gal, and 1,3,4-GalA, with molar proportions of 10.30%, 4.02%, 10.28%, 52.29%, 17.02%, 3.52%, and 2.57%, respectively. Additionally, APS markedly increased B-cell proliferation and IgM secretion in a dose- and time-dependent manner but not the proliferation and cytokine (IL-2, -4, and IFN-γ) expression of T cells. Taken together, the present results suggest that APS are macromolecular polymers with a molar mass (indicated by Mw) of 3.3 × 106 g/mol and may be a potential candidate as an immunopotentiating pharmaceutical agent or functional food.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Extract Methods, Molecular Characteristics, and Bioactivities of Polysaccharide from Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Zhang

et al. 2019

Nutrients

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“…However, concurrent security issues concerning the overuse/misuse of antibiotic-based feed additives have drawn a great deal of research attention. Recently, studies on using plant polysaccharides to replace antibiotics as livestock immunity enhancers and metabolic modulators have become an emerging global trend [5][6][7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Leaf Polysaccharides on Immune Parameters of Weanling Pigs

Zhao

Yang

et al. 2019

Animals

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Simple Summary: The increasing overuse/misuse of restricted antibiotics in livestock and poultry production has raised a serious health concern. Thus, aiming to improve animals' health levels, researchers are redirecting their focus onto naturally occurring bioactive ingredients from plants; these compounds have become a potential substitute for antibiotics. Mulberry leaf polysaccharide (MLP) is an important bioactive component, which has notable potential for improving animal immunity. In this context, the present study was designed to investigate the MLPs' effect on animals' metabolisms and the immune parameters of weanling pigs.Abstract: In this study, the effect of dietary supplementation of mulberry leaf polysaccharides (MLPs) on the immune parameters-i.e., the immune organ weight, serum immunoglobulins, cytokines, nitric oxide (NO) production, and insulin-Like growth factor-1 (IGF1) mRNA expression-of weanling pigs as a model animal was investigated. A total of 120 healthy weanling pigs (aged 28 ± 2 d) with the same body weights were randomly divided into four groups: (1) Control treatment (CT), basal diet (BD), (2) MLP low-dose treatment (MLT), 0.6 g/kg MLP + BD, (3) MLP high-dose treatment (MHT), 1.2 g/kg MLP + BD, and (4) antibiotic treatment (AT), 0.15 g/kg chlortetracycline + BD. The results revealed that the thymus and spleen indices were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in both MLT and MHT groups in comparison with the CT group, while the serum levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-8, and interferon (IFN-γ) in the MLT group and IL-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ in the MHT group were also considerably greater (P < 0.05) than the corresponding levels in the CT group. The serum contents of IgG, IL-1β, IL-2, and IL-8 in the MLT group and IL-2 and IL-6 in the MHT group were significantly increased in comparison with the corresponding contents in the AT group (P < 0.05). The transformation rate of lymphocytes in the MLT and MHT groups was higher compared to the CT and AT groups. However, a notable difference was found between the MLT group and the two control groups. The peripheral lymphocyte NO production in the MLT, MHT, and AT groups was significant relative to the CT group. The expression levels of IGF1 mRNA in the liver and muscle longissimus tissues of both the MLT and MHT groups showed significant improvement (P < 0.05) over those in the CT group. Moreover, the IGF1 mRNA expression in the muscle longissimus from the MLT group was significantly higher than in the AT group. In conclusion, the results suggest that incorporating MLPs into the diets of weanling pigs improves the animals' metabolisms and immune functions, and the effects of the MLT group were superior to those of both the MHT and AT groups.

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The Status of the Forage Utilization Industry in China

Cao

et al. 2022

Research Progress on Forage Production, Processing and Utilization in China

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Effects of dietary supplementation of alfalfa polysaccharides on growth performance, small intestinal enzyme activities, morphology, and large intestinal selected microbiota of piglets

Cited by 21 publications

References 35 publications

Extract Methods, Molecular Characteristics, and Bioactivities of Polysaccharide from Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Extract Methods, Molecular Characteristics, and Bioactivities of Polysaccharide from Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Leaf Polysaccharides on Immune Parameters of Weanling Pigs

The Status of the Forage Utilization Industry in China

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