title: Phytosterols on growth performance, antioxidant enzymes and intestinal morphology in weaned piglets.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plant extracts have been used widely to improve growth, lower cholesterol, and exert antioxidative defense and antimicrobial activities in animal production. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary phytosterols (PS) on growth performance, antioxidant enzymes and intestinal morphology in weaned piglets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 120 crossbred piglets, weighing 9.58 ± 0.26 kg, were randomly allocated to three treatments: control, PS (0.2 g kg-1) and polymyxin E (0.04 g kg-1, antibiotic control). Compared to the control, PS or polymyxin E supplementation decreased diarrhea rate, serum cholesterol and malondialdehyde (MDA) of the piglets (P < 0.05). Liver MDA was significantly decreased in PS-fed piglets compared to the control (P < 0.05), although there was no difference between the control and polymyxin E-fed piglets. PS increased the villous height/crypt depth ratio of the duodenum and jejunum compared to the control (P < 0.05). Polymyxin E supplementation in piglets did not alter the villous height/crypt depth ratio but raised the villous height and crypt depth of the duodenum compared to the control (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study indicated that PS could decrease diarrhea rate, lower serum cholesterol, reduce lipid peroxidation and ameliorate intestinal morphology in weaned piglets. In addition, PS exerted better amelioration on intestinal morphology than polymyxin E in piglets. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiaoling
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Sisi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Yiwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, Key Laboratory of Animal Feed and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2690-429X
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010840:Phytosterols; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002784:Cholesterol; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: antioxidant enzymes; growth performance; intestinal morphology; phytosterols; weaned piglets