Forsythia suspensa extract protects broilers against breast muscle oxidative injury induced by corticosterone mimicked pre-slaughter acute stress

Abstract

Broilers were used to determine the protective effects of Forsythia suspensa extract (FSE) against breast muscle oxidative injury induced by corticosterone (CS) mimicking pre-slaughter acute stress. A total of 144 male Arbor Acre broilers was randomly allotted to one of 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement that included FSE supplementation (0 or 100 mg/kg) and subcutaneous injection of CS (0 or 4 mg/kg) at 3 h before slaughter. Corticosterone increased live BW loss, and the adverse effect was attenuated by FSE in broilers subjected to CS (P < 0.05). Serum levels of CS, uric acid, and glucose were increased, and postmortem breast muscle pH values at 45 min and 24 h were decreased for CS-challenged broilers (P < 0.05). Corticosterone increased lightness and yellowness values and decreased redness of breast muscle (P < 0.05), and FSE decreased yellowness and increased redness of breast muscle (P < 0.05). Drip loss was increased by CS for birds supplemented without FSE (P < 0.05) and decreased by FSE for birds under CS challenge (P < 0.05). Corticosterone increased monounsaturated fatty acid (FA) and decreased polyunsaturated FA in breast muscle (P < 0.05), and saturated FA was decreased and polyunsaturated FA was increased by FSE (P < 0.05). Malondialdehyde and carbonyl contents in breast muscle were increased by CS and decreased by FSE (P < 0.05). Inhibition of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl was decreased by CS and increased by FSE (P < 0.05). The activities of total-antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase in breast muscle were lower in birds subjected to CS (P < 0.05) and were greater in birds supplemented with FSE (P < 0.05). Collectively, live BW loss and breast muscle oxidative injury were increased by CS in broilers, and these stress-related adverse effects could be attenuated by FSE supplementation via enhanced scavenging ability of free radicals and antioxidant capacity. Therefore, FSE could protect broilers against breast muscle oxidative injury when acute stress happens.

Forsythia suspensa extract enhances performance via the improvement of nutrient digestibility, antioxidant status, anti-inflammatory function, and gut morphology in broilers

“…(2017b) , who reported that the antioxidant properties of FSE as antioxidants could improve postslaughter meat quality in broilers subjected to stress. However, in the present study, there were no significant differences in redness, yellowness, pH at 45 min, pH at 24 h, δpH, and drop loss among treatments, which disagreed with the results of Pan et al., 2018a , Pan et al., 2018b . These differences might be due to the current study conducted under nonchallenge conditions, while other studies were carried out under dexamethasone- or corticosterone-challenge condition.…”

“…F. suspensa extracts might also be beneficial to alleviate growth inhibition and immune damage of broilers under heat stress and corticosterone stimulation ( Zeng et al., 2014 , Zhao et al., 2017b ). Previous studies in our laboratory also reported FSE could reduce transport stress, slow down muscle protein degradation and growth inhibition, and improve muscle antioxidant capacity and meat quality in broilers ( Pan et al., 2018a , Pan et al., 2018b ). However, to the best of our knowledge, few studies focus on the possible role for FSE in replacing antibiotics under nonchallenge conditions and the possible mechanism on improvement of performance in broilers.…”

“…In the present study, we found broilers fed diet supplemented with FSE tended to have increased C18:3n3 and C20:5n3 contents in the breast meat, which indicated FSE might be beneficial for n-3 PUFA deposition. This finding was partly showed in studies of Pan et al. (2018b) and Pan et al.…”

“…Free radicals and ROS could reduce the capacity of the cellular intrinsic free radical–scavenging system, which might attack the cellular fatty acids and result in the onset of lipid peroxidation of membranes ( Kamboh et al., 2013 ). A previous study in our laboratory showed FSE could reduce free radicals and desirably change the fatty acid profile in the breast muscles of poultry under stress conditions ( Pan et al., 2018b ). In the present study, we found broilers fed diet supplemented with FSE tended to have increased C18:3n3 and C20:5n3 contents in the breast meat, which indicated FSE might be beneficial for n-3 PUFA deposition.…”

Effect of chestnut wood extract on performance, meat quality, antioxidant status, immune function, and cholesterol metabolism in broilers

“…A high concentration of urea-N in serum is a risk indicator of cardiovascular diseases, whereas the low concentration of uric acid has protective effects on oxidative stress in body ( Glantzounis et al., 2005 ). In addition, the higher concentration of urea nitrogen in serum was reported as transport stressor in broilers ( Pan et al., 2018a , b ).…”