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Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a natural phenolic acid isolated from various species including coffee, fruits, and vegetables that have biologically active phenols. The CGA have been used as a feed supplement to enhance the antioxidant ability in weaned pigs and sows, but underlying mechanisms are not established. Two experiments were directed to investigate the CGA effects on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, nutrient digestibility, diarrhea incidence, digestion and absorption function, and the expression levels of intestinal digestion and absorption-related genes in weaned pigs. In Exp. 1 (14-d trial), 200 weaned pigs were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments and fed a control (CON) basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 250, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg CGA, respectively. Pigs fed the diet containing 1,000 mg/kg of CGA had greater Gain: Feed ratio (G:F) compared with those fed the CON diet. In Exp. 2 (14-d trial), 24 weaned pigs were randomly allotted to two groups and fed with a control basal diet (CON) or the same diet supplemented with 1,000 mg/kg CGA (the optimum inclusion from Exp. 1; CGA group). At the end of this trial, 8 pigs per treatment were randomly selected for collecting serum and intestinal samples. The ADG, G:F, and the apparent total tract digestibility of CP, crude fat, and ash, were increased in pigs fed the CGA diet compared with those fed the CON diet. Furthermore, the diarrhea incidence was decreased in the CGA dietary treatment. Pigs fed the CGA diet increased serum albumin and IGF-1, and reduced serum urea nitrogen compared with pigs fed the Con diet. In addition, CGA enhanced the serum activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase; and also, the jejunum and ileum maltase activity as well as the jejunum sucrase and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activities. The gen expression levels (mRNA) of sodium glucose transport protein-1 (SGLT1) and zinc transporter-1 (ZNT1) in the duodenum were upregulated in CGA dietary treatment. Similarly, the mRNA levels of SGLT1, glucose transporter-2 (GLUT2), and divalent metal transporter-1 (DMT1) in the jejunum were also upregulated in pigs fed the CGA diet.
In conclusion, the present study provided the evidence that CGA has potential benefits to serve as an effective feed additive for protecting the weaned pigs against weaning-stress-induced diarrhea and growth retarded. The growth promoting effect of CGA on weaned pigs may be partly attributed to the increased antioxidant capacity and the improved intestinal digestion and absorption function. These results offer a prerequisite foundation for further investigation to assess more of the potential mechanisms responsible for the beneficial effects of CGA on improving growth performance of weaned pigs.
Chen, J., Li, Y., Yu, B., Chen, D., Mao, X., Zheng, P, Luo, J., and He, J. (2018). Dietary chlorogenic acid improves growth performance of weaned pigs through maintaining antioxidant capacity and intestinal digestion and absorption function. Journal of Animal Science, 96(1), 1108–1118. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skx078
