Yi Xianguo, Ma Quanchao, Li Zhili, Hu Yuli, Wu Haigang, Wang Rui, Sun Xuyang, Wang Enen, Ma Chaofeng, Qin Qingmin
College of Animal Science and Technology, Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University, Xinyang 464000, China.
Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing 400120, China.
Genes (Basel). 2025 May 13;16(5):572. doi: 10.3390/genes16050572.
Ferulic acid is a natural and safe herbal feed additive. This study aims to evaluate the effects of ferulic acid on the growth performance, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities, immune function, and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens.
A total of 320 broiler chickens, aged 14 days, were randomly divided into four groups: a blank control group (MA group), a low-concentration ferulic acid group (BM group, 10 mg/kg), a medium-concentration ferulic acid group (CM group, 30 mg/kg), and a high-concentration ferulic acid group (DM group, 90 mg/kg) after a 14-day acclimatization period. The experiment lasted for 28 days, and the chickens were dissected on day 29.
The results showed that compared to the MA group, the feed-to-meat ratio in the CM and DM groups was significantly reduced. The activity of duodenal trypsin in the CM and DM groups was significantly enhanced, and the activity of pancreatic protease in the DM group was significantly increased. The serum levels of urea nitrogen, creatinine, and triglycerides were significantly elevated in the CM and DM groups. The serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the BM, CM, and DM groups were significantly reduced, while the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were significantly increased in the CM and DM groups. The serum interleukin-2 (IL-2) levels in the BM group were significantly decreased, while interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels in the CM group and complement component 3 (C-3) levels in the DM group were significantly increased. The mRNA expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB, TNF-α, NLRP3, IL-1β, and IL-18 in the jejunum of the DM group were significantly reduced. The diversity of cecal microbiota in the ferulic acid groups changed, with a certain degree of increase in the relative abundance of and . The relative abundance of in the DM group significantly increased, altering the metabolic function of the cecal microbiota in broiler chickens.
The above results indicate that ferulic acid, as a novel feed additive for broiler chickens, has an impact on the growth performance, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity, immune function, and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens.
阿魏酸是一种天然且安全的草药饲料添加剂。本研究旨在评估阿魏酸对肉鸡生长性能、抗炎和抗氧化能力、免疫功能及肠道微生物群的影响。
选取14日龄的320只肉鸡，在经过14天的适应期后，随机分为四组：空白对照组（MA组）、低浓度阿魏酸组（BM组，10毫克/千克）、中浓度阿魏酸组（CM组，30毫克/千克）和高浓度阿魏酸组（DM组，90毫克/千克）。实验持续28天，并在第29天对鸡进行解剖。
结果显示，与MA组相比，CM组和DM组的料肉比显著降低。CM组和DM组十二指肠胰蛋白酶活性显著增强，DM组胰腺蛋白酶活性显著升高。CM组和DM组血清尿素氮、肌酐和甘油三酯水平显著升高。BM组、CM组和DM组血清丙二醛（MDA）水平显著降低，而CM组和DM组超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）活性显著增加。BM组血清白细胞介素-2（IL-2）水平显著降低，而CM组干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）水平和DM组补体成分3（C-3）水平显著升高。DM组空肠中TLR4、MyD88、NF-κB、TNF-α、NLRP3、IL-1β和IL-18的mRNA表达水平显著降低。阿魏酸组盲肠微生物群的多样性发生变化， 和 的相对丰度有一定程度增加。DM组 的相对丰度显著增加，改变了肉鸡盲肠微生物群的代谢功能。
上述结果表明，阿魏酸作为一种新型的肉鸡饲料添加剂，对肉鸡的生长性能、抗炎和抗氧化能力、免疫功能及肠道微生物群有影响。
