Eucommia ulmoides Flavones as Potential Alternatives to Antibiotic Growth Promoters in a Low-Protein Diet Improve Growth Performance and Intestinal Health in Weaning Piglets

Abstract

Eucommia ulmoides flavones (EUF) have been demonstrated to attenuate the inflammation and oxidative stress of piglets. This study aimed to test whether EUF could be used as an alternative antibiotic growth promoter to support growth performance and maintain intestinal health in weanling piglets. Weaned piglets (n = 480) were assigned into three groups and fed with a low-protein basal diet (NC), or supplementation with antibiotics (PC) or 0.01% EUF (EUF). Blood, intestinal contents, and intestine were collected on days 15 and 35 after weaning. The results showed the PC and EUF supplementations increased (p < 0.05) body weight on day 35, average daily gain and gain: feed ratio from day 15 to day 35 and day 0 to day 35, whereas decreased (p < 0.05) the diarrhea index of weanling piglets. EUF treatment increased (p < 0.05) jejunal villus height: crypt depth ratio, jejunal and ileal villus height, and population of ileal lactic acid bacteria on day 15 but decreased (p < 0.05) the population of ileal coliform bacteria on day 15 and day 35. These findings indicated the EUF, as the potential alternative to in-feed antibiotic growth promoter, could improve growth performance and intestinal morphology, and decrease colonization of coliform bacteria and diarrhea index in weanling piglets.

Targeting mitochondria with antioxidant nutrients for the prevention and treatment of postweaning diarrhea in piglets

“…Eucommia flavonoids (EUF) have been shown to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in piglets. Yuan et al. (2020) reported that EUF supplementation improved growth performance, reduced diarrhea incidence, increased villus height in the jejunum and ileum, and enhanced the abundance of lactic acid bacteria in the ileum of weaned piglets.…”

Neuroendocrine–Immune Regulatory Network of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver

“…Additionally, Bacillus velezensis 157, isolated from EUE, exhibited antagonistic activity against a broad spectrum of pathogenic bacteria and fungi, for example, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Clostridium perfringens, Proteus hauseri, Aeromonas hydrophila, Streptococcus agalactiae, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum [169]. Weaning piglets were fed with 0.01% E. ulmoides flavones (EUF) and appeared to show abundant gut microbiota and rising serum IgG levels [170]. Additionally, protocatechuic acid, extracted from E. ulmoides, increased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and reduced the relative abundance of Prevotella 9, Prevotella 2, Holdemanella, and the Ruminococcus torques group, and increased the relative abundance of Roseburia and Desulfovibrio in weaning piglets [171].…”

Effect of Eucommia ulmoides Leaf Extract on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Parameters of Oxidative Stress, and Lipid Metabolism in Broiler Chickens

“…Although various bioactive components, such as lignans, iridoids, phenolics, steroids, terpenoids, and flavonoids have been identified in Eucommia ulmoides ( 10 ), phenolics and flavonoids, such as chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid, and quercetin are considered the main active components in leaves. Previous studies have found that Eucommia ulmoides flavones (EUF) could promote growth performance, improve intestinal health, and reduce colonization of coliform bacteria and diarrhea index in weanling piglets ( 11 ). Eucommia ulmoides leaf extract (EULE) has also been reported to improve the carcass traits of growing-finishing pigs and exert a lipid-lowering effect by activating the AMPK-ACC pathway and regulating mRNA expression levels related to lipid metabolism ( 12 ).…”