Effect of compound Chinese herbal medicine on average daily weight gain,diarrhea index,immune function,and intestinal metabolism and microbiota of piglets

KUANG Deming; HUANG Hui; JIANG Wenxin; YE Jiali; SU Yiman; LIU Hua; SU Rongsheng

doi:10.13557/j.cnki.issn1002-2813.2025.10.005

Abstract：The experiment aimed to explore the effects of compound Chinese herbal medicine on the average daily weight gain,diarrhea index,immune function,intestinal metabolism,and microbiota of piglets.Twenty-four piglets at the age of 14 days were selected and randomly divided into four groups,with six replicates in each group and one pig in each replicate.The control group(C group)was fed with basic feed,while the low-dose Chinese medicine group(LN group),high-dose Chinese medicine group(HN group),and antibiotic group(K group)were fed with experimental feed supplemented with 0.25%compound Chinese herbal freeze-dried powder,0.50%compound Chinese herbal freeze-dried powder,and 0.05%soluble powder of neomycin sulfate,respectively.The experimental period was 21 days.The results showed that compared with C group,the diarrhea index in the HN group was significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with C group,the villus length and crypt depth of the duodenum,jejunum,and ileum of piglets in the HN group were significantly increased(P<0.05).The mRNA and protein expression levels of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the jejunum of piglets were significantly downregulated(P<0.05),and the mRNA and protein expression levels of tight junction proteins were significantly upregulated(P<0.05).16S rRNA sequencing revealed an increase in species diversity of gut microbiota in the HN group,with an increase in abundance of Firmicutes and a decrease in abundance of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia-Shigella.The HN group showed a extreme enrichment in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway(P<0.01),with an increase in beneficial metabolites such as rosmarinic acid and 3-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid.The study indicates that compound Chinese herbal medicine can effectively reduce the diarrhea index of piglets by enhancing immune function,improving intestinal barrier function,and maintaining microbial balance.The optimal addition ratio is 0.5%.