Effects of Ilicis Chinensis folium extract on growth performance, immunity, antioxidant indicators, and Intestinal microbiota in weaned piglets
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This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with Ilicis chinensis folium extract (ICFE) on growth performance, immune function, antioxidant capacity, and gut microbiota composition in weaned piglets. A total of 224 healthy 21-day-old piglets were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments for 30 days: a control group receiving a basal diet and three experimental groups supplemented with 500 g/t, 1000 g/t, or 2000 g/t ICFE. Compared with the control group, the 1000 ICFE group exhibited significantly higher average daily feed intake ( P < 0.05), average daily gain, and final body weight, along with a lower feed conversion ratio and reduced diarrhea incidence ( P < 0.05). Serum globulin and aspartate aminotransferase levels were significantly reduced in the 1000 and 2000 ICFE groups ( P < 0.05), while the albumin-to-globulin ratio was significantly increased in the 2000 ICFE group ( P < 0.05). Immunoglobulin A, M, and G concentrations were significantly elevated in the 1000 and 2000 ICFE groups ( P < 0.05), whereas interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 levels were significantly decreased across all ICFE-treated groups ( P < 0.05). Antioxidant analysis showed significantly increased glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities in the 500 and 1000 ICFE groups ( P < 0.05), accompanied by reduced malondialdehyde levels ( P < 0.05). Gut microbiota profiling revealed increased abundance of Actinobacteria in the 2000 ICFE group and enrichment of the genus SMB53 in the 1000 ICFE group ( P < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated significant associations between microbial shifts and serum immune and antioxidant markers ( P < 0.05). Overall, ICFE supplementation improved growth performance, enhanced immune and antioxidant responses, reduced diarrhea incidence, and modulated gut microbiota in weaned piglets, with 1000 g/t identified as the optimal supplementation level.
