Protective effect of quercetin on lipopolysaccharide-induced enteritis in broilers

MA Yunchong; WANG Yiran; LI Yifei; CHEN Xinhang; WANG Hongyu; LIU Yonghua

doi:10.13557/j.cnki.issn1002-2813.2025.18.010

Abstract：The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of quercetin on immune protection against lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced enteritis in broilers.A total of 300 one-day-old Arbor Acres(AA)broilers in good condition were randomly divided into five groups:Low-dose group(basal diet+200 mg/kg quercetin),medium-dose group(basal diet+400 mg/kg quercetin),high-dose group(basal diet+800 mg/kg quercetin),LPS group(basal diet),and control group(basal diet).Each group contained six replicates with ten broilers per replicate.The test period was 21 days.On days 16,18,and 20 of the experiment,broilers in the low-dose,medium-dose,and high-dose groups as well as the LPS group were injected with 500 μg/kg LPS solution,while the control group received an equal volume of physiological saline.The results showed that the jejunal villus height and crypt depth in the medium-dose and high-dose groups were significantly higher than those in the low-dose and LPS groups(P＜0.05).The bursa of Fabricius index in the medium-dose group was significantly lower than that in the low-dose and high-dose groups(P＜0.05).The expression levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-8(IL-8),and interferon-γ(IFN-γ)in the ileum of the medium-dose group were significantly lower than those in the low-dose and high-dose groups(P＜0.05).The expression level of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in the medium-dose and high-dose groups was significantly lower than in the low-dose group(P＜0.05).The TNF-αexpression level in the jejunum of the medium-dose group was significantly lower than that in the low-dose and high-dose groups(P＜0.05).The expression levels of the ileum Claudin-2 and the jejunum zonula occludens-2(ZO-2)in the medium-dose group were significantly higher than those in the low-dose and high-dose groups(P＜0.05).The study indicates that dietary supplementation with 400 mg/kg quercetin can effectively alleviate LPS-induced intestinal inflammation in broilers,enhance intestinal barrier function,improve intestinal morphological structure,and modulate immune responses.