title: Microscopic examination of the intestinal wall and selected organs of minipigs orally supplemented with humic acids.
abstract: Humic acids are used to prophylactically treat intestinal diseases in a wide number of species, yet the mechanism of action remains unknown. The general assumption has been that humic acids act locally; however studies using young piglets show orally supplemented humic acids can penetrate the intestinal wall, and thus potentially act systemically. The objective of this study was to determine if humic acids could also cross the intestinal barrier in adult pigs and be detected in other organs. Adult minipigs (>18 months old) orally received either 1g humic acids/kg body weight (verum, n=3) or placebo (control, n=3), for 2 weeks. At the end of the feeding period tissue samples were harvested from the intestine, various glands and organs. Unstained tissue samples were examined by light microscopy for the presence of humic acid particles. No humic acid particles were detected in any of the unstained tissues from verum or control pigs.
authors.affiliation: University of Rostock, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Chair for Nutritional Physiology and Animal Nutrition, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 8, 18059 Rostock, Germany. Electronic address: kirsten.buesing@uni-rostock.de.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Büsing
authors.affiliation: BIOSERV Analytik und Medizinprodukte GmbH, Test Laboratory of Medical Devices, Drugs and Chemicals, Dr.-Lorenz-Weg 1, 18059 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elhensheri
authors.affiliation: BIOSERV Analytik und Medizinprodukte GmbH, Test Laboratory of Medical Devices, Drugs and Chemicals, Dr.-Lorenz-Weg 1, 18059 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Entzian
authors.affiliation: BIOSERV Analytik und Medizinprodukte GmbH, Test Laboratory of Medical Devices, Drugs and Chemicals, Dr.-Lorenz-Weg 1, 18059 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Department of Animal Nutrition, Theodor-Lieser-Straße 11, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeyner
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D006812:Humic Substances; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006812:Humic Substances
keywords: Histology; Humic acids; Macromolecules; Miniature pigs