Effects of Epimedium brevicornum Maxim on growth performance and immune function in BALB/c mice
WU Junjie
LIU Hanwen
WANG Yichen
LI Zhili
Abstract：This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of unfermented Epimedium brevicornum Maxim(EbM)and EbM fermented by lactococcus lactis on the growth performance and immune function of BALB/c mice.Twenty-eight 8-week-old BALB/c mice were divided into seven groups:a control group(N)and six experimental groups.The experimental groups included unfermented EbM at concentrations of 25 μg/mL(L1),45 μg/mL(M1),and 65 μg/mL(H1),as well as lactococcus lactis-fermented EbM at concentrations of 25 μg/mL(L2),45 μg/mL(M2),and 65 μg/mL(H2).Each group comprised four replicates(n=4).Mice in the experimental groups received intragastric administration of the respective treatments once every 24 hours for 7 days,while the control group received saline.The body weight of each mouse was measured before and after the experiment.Blood samples were collected to detect serum immunoglobulins(IgA,IgG,IgM)and the immune cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α).Compared with the control group,all experimental groups exhibited a significant reduction in body weight;serum levels of IgA,IgG,and IgM were significantly elevated,while TNF-α levels were significantly decreased in treated mice.These results indicate that both unfermented EbM and lactococcus lactis-fermented EbM enhance immune performance in mice to varying degrees,but result in a significant reduction in body weight.
Keywords：Epimedium brevicornum Maximprobiotic fermentationlactococcus lactisBALB/c micegrowth performanceimmune function
Publication Date：2025-09-30
Online Publishing Date：2025-10-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 48-53 )