title: Effects of feeding fermented Ginkgo biloba leaves on small intestinal morphology, absorption, and immunomodulation of early lipopolysaccharide-challenged chicks.
abstract: Aspergillus niger-fermented-Ginkgo biloba leaves (FG) and the comparative effect with nonfermented (NF)-Ginkgo leaves were investigated on morphology, absorption, and immunity of small intestine after lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenge in chicks at an early age. Broiler chicks (180 d of age) were divided into 3 treatment groups and were fed 1 of 3 diets: basal diet or basal diet supplemented with 0.5% NF or FG (control, NF, and FG group, respectively). Half of the birds from each treatment group were injected intraperitoneally with LPS (500 μg/kg of BW) or 0.9% NaCl solution (the sham control groups) at 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, and 21 d of age. The results indicated that when LPS-challenged birds were pretreated with FG, the decrease of ADG, ADFI, duodenal and jejunal relative weights, villus height, crypt depth, alkaline phosphatase activity, and plasma d-xylose were dramatically attenuated (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Meanwhile, a significant decrease (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) of duodenal and jejunal interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, IL-18, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and duodenal sodium glucose co-transporter 1 mRNA expressional levels were found in LPS-challenged birds pretreated with FG. In conclusion, FG-supplemented diets minimized the deleterious effects of LPS and improved intestinal development, absorption, and immunity in immune-stressed chickens.
authors.affiliation: College of Forest Resource & Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xuhui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Linguo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Fuliang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Hussain
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Guibin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000737:chemistry*; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007372:Interferons / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D007372:Interferons