Dietary supplementation with Acanthopanax senticosus extract modulates gut microflora in weaned piglets

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Acanthopanax senticosus extract (ASE) as a dietary additive on gut microflora in weaned piglets. A total of sixty pigs were weaned at 21 d of age (BW = 5.64 +/- 0.23 kg) and allocated on the basis of BW and litter to three dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. The dietary treatments were: control group (basal diet), antibiotics group (basal diet+0.02% colistin), and ASE group (basal diet+0.1% ASF), On d 7, 14 and 28 after consuming the experimental diets, five piglets per group were sacrificed and then the contents from the jejunum, ileum and cecum were collected to determine changes in the microbial community by using a polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) technique and estimating the contents of Lactobacillus and E. coli by in vitro culturing methods. The results showed that the ASE promoted the microflora diversity in the cecum. Enumeration of bacteria in the gut contents showed that the number of Lactobacillus increased (p < 0.05), while that of E. coli decreased (p < 0.05) when compared with the other 2 groups as the days of age progressed post-weaning. These findings suggested that the ASE, as a substitute for dietary antimicrobial products, could improve the development of the normal gut microflora and suppress bacterial pathogens, and effectively promote a healthy intestinal environment.