Inonotus obliquus fermentation product improves growth performance and meat quality probably through intestine and antioxidant capacity enhanced by gut microbes and metabolites regulation in rabbits

Abstract Background Inonotus obliquus is a medicinal edible fungus that contains a variety of biologically active ingredients and has multiple physiological effects. When supplemented in avian diet, Inonotus obliquus has proved to be beneficial. However, information regarding these effects on mammal...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lin Zhang, Zhiguo Fei, Yaling Ding, Yajia Zhang, Zhiyong Ding, Yueyan Huang, Junkun Wang, Gongyan Liu, Liya Bai, Jiaqiang Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:Animal Microbiome
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-025-00427-7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849334499522904064
author Lin Zhang
Zhiguo Fei
Yaling Ding
Yajia Zhang
Zhiyong Ding
Yueyan Huang
Junkun Wang
Gongyan Liu
Liya Bai
Jiaqiang Wu
author_facet Lin Zhang
Zhiguo Fei
Yaling Ding
Yajia Zhang
Zhiyong Ding
Yueyan Huang
Junkun Wang
Gongyan Liu
Liya Bai
Jiaqiang Wu
author_sort Lin Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Inonotus obliquus is a medicinal edible fungus that contains a variety of biologically active ingredients and has multiple physiological effects. When supplemented in avian diet, Inonotus obliquus has proved to be beneficial. However, information regarding these effects on mammals is scanty. The present study aims to investigate the effect of supplementation of Inonotus obliquus fermentation product (IOFP) on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestinal function and gut microbiota of rabbit exploratorily, which may act as an important feed additive and also as an antibiotic alternative with its medicinal properties. Results Dietary supplementation of IOFP increased body weight (P < 0.01) at the initial 21 d and improved feed efficiency throughout the 35 d experimental period when compared to control group. At the same time it was observed that meat quality and carcass parameters improved upon supplementation of IOFP. Additionally, IOFP supplementation resulted in significant increases (P < 0.05) in total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and nitric oxide (NO) activity or concentration in the serum and muscle. The crypt depth decreased significantly, whereas the villus height/crypt depth (V/C) value increased (P < 0.05). The concentration of secrete IgA (sIgA) of the intestine also increased (P < 0.05). IOFP supplementation significantly increased the fold change expression of Claudin 1, Occludin, ZO1, and ZO2 (P < 0.05) when compared to the respective gene expression levels of the duodenum and jejunum tissues of control group. Further study on cecum microbiota revealed that IOFP supplementation increased the microbiota diversity by increasing the number of beneficial bacteria and reducing the numbers of pathological bacteria. It was observed that cecum metabolites produced in the treated group were related to antioxidants, antiinflammation and antidepressive effects. The harmful metabolites related to fat deposition, loss of appetite and cytotoxic conditions decreased. Pearson’s correlation studies between different bacteria and metabolites revealed that the metabolites produced were regulated by the beneficial and harmful bacteria respectively. Conclusions IOFP enhanced intestinal morphology and function, and organismic antioxidant capacity, probably by increasing the concentration of beneficial microbiota and metabolites resulting in improvement of body weight, feed efficiency, and parameters related to meat quality and carcass traits of rabbits. Graphical Abstract
format Article
id doaj-art-f9a2129c51a3433fa80ce9a09efcbac7
institution Kabale University
issn 2524-4671
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Animal Microbiome
spelling doaj-art-f9a2129c51a3433fa80ce9a09efcbac72025-08-20T03:45:32ZengBMCAnimal Microbiome2524-46712025-06-017111810.1186/s42523-025-00427-7Inonotus obliquus fermentation product improves growth performance and meat quality probably through intestine and antioxidant capacity enhanced by gut microbes and metabolites regulation in rabbitsLin Zhang0Zhiguo Fei1Yaling Ding2Yajia Zhang3Zhiyong Ding4Yueyan Huang5Junkun Wang6Gongyan Liu7Liya Bai8Jiaqiang Wu9Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural SciencesCollege of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of EngineeringQilu Animal Health Products Co., Ltd.College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science and TechnologyQinhuangdao Gaotong Biotech Co., Ltd.College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of EngineeringInstitute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural SciencesInstitute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural SciencesInstitute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural SciencesInstitute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural SciencesAbstract Background Inonotus obliquus is a medicinal edible fungus that contains a variety of biologically active ingredients and has multiple physiological effects. When supplemented in avian diet, Inonotus obliquus has proved to be beneficial. However, information regarding these effects on mammals is scanty. The present study aims to investigate the effect of supplementation of Inonotus obliquus fermentation product (IOFP) on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestinal function and gut microbiota of rabbit exploratorily, which may act as an important feed additive and also as an antibiotic alternative with its medicinal properties. Results Dietary supplementation of IOFP increased body weight (P < 0.01) at the initial 21 d and improved feed efficiency throughout the 35 d experimental period when compared to control group. At the same time it was observed that meat quality and carcass parameters improved upon supplementation of IOFP. Additionally, IOFP supplementation resulted in significant increases (P < 0.05) in total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and nitric oxide (NO) activity or concentration in the serum and muscle. The crypt depth decreased significantly, whereas the villus height/crypt depth (V/C) value increased (P < 0.05). The concentration of secrete IgA (sIgA) of the intestine also increased (P < 0.05). IOFP supplementation significantly increased the fold change expression of Claudin 1, Occludin, ZO1, and ZO2 (P < 0.05) when compared to the respective gene expression levels of the duodenum and jejunum tissues of control group. Further study on cecum microbiota revealed that IOFP supplementation increased the microbiota diversity by increasing the number of beneficial bacteria and reducing the numbers of pathological bacteria. It was observed that cecum metabolites produced in the treated group were related to antioxidants, antiinflammation and antidepressive effects. The harmful metabolites related to fat deposition, loss of appetite and cytotoxic conditions decreased. Pearson’s correlation studies between different bacteria and metabolites revealed that the metabolites produced were regulated by the beneficial and harmful bacteria respectively. Conclusions IOFP enhanced intestinal morphology and function, and organismic antioxidant capacity, probably by increasing the concentration of beneficial microbiota and metabolites resulting in improvement of body weight, feed efficiency, and parameters related to meat quality and carcass traits of rabbits. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-025-00427-7Inonotus obliquus fermentation productRabbitIntestinal microbiomeMetabolomeAntibiotic alternative
spellingShingle Lin Zhang
Zhiguo Fei
Yaling Ding
Yajia Zhang
Zhiyong Ding
Yueyan Huang
Junkun Wang
Gongyan Liu
Liya Bai
Jiaqiang Wu
Inonotus obliquus fermentation product improves growth performance and meat quality probably through intestine and antioxidant capacity enhanced by gut microbes and metabolites regulation in rabbits
Animal Microbiome
Inonotus obliquus fermentation product
Rabbit
Intestinal microbiome
Metabolome
Antibiotic alternative
title Inonotus obliquus fermentation product improves growth performance and meat quality probably through intestine and antioxidant capacity enhanced by gut microbes and metabolites regulation in rabbits
title_full Inonotus obliquus fermentation product improves growth performance and meat quality probably through intestine and antioxidant capacity enhanced by gut microbes and metabolites regulation in rabbits
title_fullStr Inonotus obliquus fermentation product improves growth performance and meat quality probably through intestine and antioxidant capacity enhanced by gut microbes and metabolites regulation in rabbits
title_full_unstemmed Inonotus obliquus fermentation product improves growth performance and meat quality probably through intestine and antioxidant capacity enhanced by gut microbes and metabolites regulation in rabbits
title_short Inonotus obliquus fermentation product improves growth performance and meat quality probably through intestine and antioxidant capacity enhanced by gut microbes and metabolites regulation in rabbits
title_sort inonotus obliquus fermentation product improves growth performance and meat quality probably through intestine and antioxidant capacity enhanced by gut microbes and metabolites regulation in rabbits
topic Inonotus obliquus fermentation product
Rabbit
Intestinal microbiome
Metabolome
Antibiotic alternative
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-025-00427-7
work_keys_str_mv AT linzhang inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits
AT zhiguofei inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits
AT yalingding inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits
AT yajiazhang inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits
AT zhiyongding inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits
AT yueyanhuang inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits
AT junkunwang inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits
AT gongyanliu inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits
AT liyabai inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits
AT jiaqiangwu inonotusobliquusfermentationproductimprovesgrowthperformanceandmeatqualityprobablythroughintestineandantioxidantcapacityenhancedbygutmicrobesandmetabolitesregulationinrabbits