Dietary enzymatically-treated Artemisia annua L. supplementation could alleviate oxidative injury and improve reproductive performance of sows reared under high ambient temperature.
- 2020-12
- Journal of thermal biology 94
- Wenfei Zhang
- Jinghui Heng
- Sung Woo Kim
- Fang Chen
- Zixiao Deng
- Shihai Zhang
- Wutai Guan
- PubMed: 33292992
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102751
Study Design
- Type
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- Population
- 135 multiparous sows of average parity 4.65 (Landrace × large white) at day 85 of pregnancy
- Methods
- Randomized into 3 treatments. Control group fed basal diet at control rooms (temperature 27.12±0.18°C, THI 70.90±0.80). HS and HS+EA groups fed basal diet with 0 or 1.0 g/kg EA respectively, reared at heat stress rooms (temperature 30.11±0.16°C, THI 72.70±0.60).
- Blinding
- Open-label
- Duration
- from day 85 of pregnancy through 14 days after farrowing? (approximate, not explicitly stated as total duration)
- Funding
- Unclear
- Animal Study
The medicinal plant Artemisia annua L. is well known for its antimalarial compound artemisinin and the antioxidant capacity of its active ingredients. However, low bioavailability of Artemisia annua L. limits its therapeutic potential, fermentation of Artemisia annua L. can improve its bioavailability. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of enzymatically-treated Artemisia annua L. (EA) on reproductive performance, antioxidant status, milk composition of heat-stressed sows and intestinal barrier integrity of their preweaning offspring. 135 multiparous sows of average parity 4.65 (Landrace × large white) at day 85 of pregnancy were randomly distributed into 3 treatments. Sows in the control group were housed at control rooms (temperature: 27.12 ± 0.18 °C, temperature-humidity index (THI): 70.90 ± 0.80) and fed the basal diet. Sows in the HS, HS + EA groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 or 1.0 g/kg EA respectively, and reared at heat stress rooms (temperature: 30.11 ± 0.16 °C, THI: 72.70 ± 0.60). Heat stress increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, reduced the activities of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) of sows and piglets, and seriously compromised the antioxidant capacity of the sows and the intestinal integrity of their offspring. However, dietary supplementation of 1.0 g/kg EA reduced the MDA content, increased the activities of T-SOD and T-AOC in serum, colostrum, and milk of heat-stressed sows, and increased colostrum yield and 14-d milk fat content. EA supplementation also increased piglet weaning weight and the activities of T-SOD and T-AOC in serum. In addition, the abundances of intestinal tight junction proteins claudin-1 and occludin were up-regulated in piglets in EA-supplemented group. In conclusion, dietary EA supplementation at 1.0 g/kg can alleviate the oxidative stress in heat-stressed sows, improve the antioxidant capacity in both sows and their offspring, and promote the intestinal barrier integrity in their offspring. EA may be a potent dietary supplement that ameliorates oxidative stress in livestock production by improving the antioxidant capacity.