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Elevated maternal serum bile acid levels in late gestation lead to an increased risk of fetal mortality and metabolic disease of offspring. It has been confirmed that disordered bile acid and oxidative damage are intimately related and garcinol is an excellent antioxidative plant extract. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary garcinol supplementation during late gestation on bile acid metabolism and performance of sows.
Methods: Sixty sows (Duroc × Yorkshire × Landrace; second- or third parity; n = 20) with disordered bile acid metabolism were randomly divided into three groups: control diet (basal diet), basal diet with 200 mg garcinol, and basal diet with 600 mg garcinol per kg of feed.
Results: Garcinol had no effect on the body weight and backfat thickness of the sows but significantly decreased the mortality and number of weak litters. Moreover, the white blood cell counts, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activity in the plasma of the sows were higher in the garcinol groups than the control group, whereas the malondialdehyde content was decreased. Dietary supplementation with garcinol increased immunoglobulin A and G in the plasma and in colostrum of sows compared to the control group. In addition, dry matter, ash, and ether extract in the colostrum were similar between groups, whereas the garcinol increased the crude protein in the colostrum. The apparent total tract nutrient digestibility was similar between treatments. Garcinol treatment induced a gradually decreased expression of genes involved in bile acid synthesis (CYP7A1, CYP8B1), bile acid uptake (NTCP, OATP1A2), bile acid secretion (BSEP and MRP2), bile acid detoxification (SULT2A1), and bile acid efflux into the blood circulation (OSTβ).
Conclusion: It is concluded that that sows fed with garcinol in late gestation showed relieved bile acid metabolism disorder and improved sows performance, antioxidative status, colostrum protein content, showing promise in natural plant extract nutrition for sows with disorder of bile acid metabolism.
Wang, T., Huang, L., Xia, C., Zhou, Y., Yao, W., Zhang, L., & Huang, F. (2023). Dietary supplementation with garcinol during late gestation alleviates disorders of bile acid metabolism and improves the performance of sows and newborn piglets. Journal of Animal Science, 101, skad352. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad352