Effects of Thymol and Thymol α-D-Glucopyranoside on Intestinal Function and Microbiota of Weaned Pigs
The present study evaluated gluco-conjugation as a measure to delay thymol absorption and enhance its antimicrobial activity in the gut of weaned piglets. The three dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet without additives (T<sub>CON</sub>), supplemented with thymol at 3.7 mmol/kg d...
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MDPI AG
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/2/329 |
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| author | Noémie Van Noten Jeroen Degroote Elout Van Liefferinge Bernard Taminiau Stefaan De Smet Tom Desmet Joris Michiels |
| author_facet | Noémie Van Noten Jeroen Degroote Elout Van Liefferinge Bernard Taminiau Stefaan De Smet Tom Desmet Joris Michiels |
| author_sort | Noémie Van Noten |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The present study evaluated gluco-conjugation as a measure to delay thymol absorption and enhance its antimicrobial activity in the gut of weaned piglets. The three dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet without additives (T<sub>CON</sub>), supplemented with thymol at 3.7 mmol/kg dry matter (T<sub>THY</sub>), or with an equimolar amount of thymol α-D-glucopyranoside (T<sub>TαG</sub>). Each dietary treatment was replicated in 6 pens with 2 piglets per pen (<i>n</i> = 12 for analytical parameters) and was supplemented for 14 days. The total (free plus gluco-conjugated) thymol concentrations in the stomach contents were 14% lower in T<sub>TαG</sub> as compared to T<sub>THY</sub> piglets. Neither of the additives could be detected further down the gut. <i>E.coli</i> counts in the proximal small intestine were significantly lower in T<sub>THY</sub> than in T<sub>TαG</sub> pigs (3.35 vs. 4.29 log<sub>10</sub> CFU/g); however, other bacterial counts and their metabolites were unaffected by treatment. A metagenomic bacterial analysis revealed a great relative abundance of <i>Lactobacillus</i> spp. in the distal small intestine (range 88.4−99.9%), irrespective of treatment. The intestinal barrier function was improved by T<sub>THY</sub>, but not T<sub>TαG</sub>, compared to T<sub>CON.</sub> In conclusion, gluco-conjugation did not result in higher thymol concentrations in the gut, but conversely, it seemed to diminish the biological effects of thymol in vivo. |
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| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T11:19:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-3dd07e23cbb24449a39ecdb8bba314dd2022-12-22T01:09:13ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-02-0110232910.3390/ani10020329ani10020329Effects of Thymol and Thymol α-D-Glucopyranoside on Intestinal Function and Microbiota of Weaned PigsNoémie Van Noten0Jeroen Degroote1Elout Van Liefferinge2Bernard Taminiau3Stefaan De Smet4Tom Desmet5Joris Michiels6Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Food Sciences, University of Liège, Quartier Vallée 2, Avenue de Cureghem 7A-7D, 4000 Liège, BelgiumDepartment of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumThe present study evaluated gluco-conjugation as a measure to delay thymol absorption and enhance its antimicrobial activity in the gut of weaned piglets. The three dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet without additives (T<sub>CON</sub>), supplemented with thymol at 3.7 mmol/kg dry matter (T<sub>THY</sub>), or with an equimolar amount of thymol α-D-glucopyranoside (T<sub>TαG</sub>). Each dietary treatment was replicated in 6 pens with 2 piglets per pen (<i>n</i> = 12 for analytical parameters) and was supplemented for 14 days. The total (free plus gluco-conjugated) thymol concentrations in the stomach contents were 14% lower in T<sub>TαG</sub> as compared to T<sub>THY</sub> piglets. Neither of the additives could be detected further down the gut. <i>E.coli</i> counts in the proximal small intestine were significantly lower in T<sub>THY</sub> than in T<sub>TαG</sub> pigs (3.35 vs. 4.29 log<sub>10</sub> CFU/g); however, other bacterial counts and their metabolites were unaffected by treatment. A metagenomic bacterial analysis revealed a great relative abundance of <i>Lactobacillus</i> spp. in the distal small intestine (range 88.4−99.9%), irrespective of treatment. The intestinal barrier function was improved by T<sub>THY</sub>, but not T<sub>TαG</sub>, compared to T<sub>CON.</sub> In conclusion, gluco-conjugation did not result in higher thymol concentrations in the gut, but conversely, it seemed to diminish the biological effects of thymol in vivo.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/2/329thymol α-d-glucopyranosidethymolweaned pigletsmicrobiota |
| spellingShingle | Noémie Van Noten Jeroen Degroote Elout Van Liefferinge Bernard Taminiau Stefaan De Smet Tom Desmet Joris Michiels Effects of Thymol and Thymol α-D-Glucopyranoside on Intestinal Function and Microbiota of Weaned Pigs Animals thymol α-d-glucopyranoside thymol weaned piglets microbiota |
| title | Effects of Thymol and Thymol α-D-Glucopyranoside on Intestinal Function and Microbiota of Weaned Pigs |
| title_full | Effects of Thymol and Thymol α-D-Glucopyranoside on Intestinal Function and Microbiota of Weaned Pigs |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Thymol and Thymol α-D-Glucopyranoside on Intestinal Function and Microbiota of Weaned Pigs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Thymol and Thymol α-D-Glucopyranoside on Intestinal Function and Microbiota of Weaned Pigs |
| title_short | Effects of Thymol and Thymol α-D-Glucopyranoside on Intestinal Function and Microbiota of Weaned Pigs |
| title_sort | effects of thymol and thymol α d glucopyranoside on intestinal function and microbiota of weaned pigs |
| topic | thymol α-d-glucopyranoside thymol weaned piglets microbiota |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/2/329 |
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