Comparison of the protective effects of resveratrol and pterostilbene against intestinal damage and redox imbalance in weanling piglets

Abstract

Background: Evidence indicates that early weaning predisposes piglets to intestinal oxidative stress and increases the risk of intestinal dysfunction; however, there are minimal satisfactory treatment strategies for these conditions. This study investigated the potential of resveratrol and its analog, pterostilbene, as antioxidant protectants for regulating intestinal morphology, barrier function, and redox status among weanling piglets. Methods: A total of 144 piglets were selected at 21 days of age and randomly allocated into one of four treatment groups, each of which included six replicates. Piglets in a sow-reared control group were suckling normally between ages 21 and 28 days, while those in weaned groups were fed a basal diet, supplemented with either 300 mg/kg of resveratrol or with 300 mg/kg of pterostilbene. Parameters associated with intestinal injury and redox status were analyzed at the end of the feeding trial. Results: Early weaning disrupted the intestinal function of young piglets, with evidence of increased diamine oxidase activity and D-lactate content in the plasma, shorter villi, an imbalance between cell proliferation and apoptosis, an impaired antioxidant defense system, and severe oxidative damage in the jejunum relative to suckling piglets. Feeding piglets with a resveratrol-supplemented diet partially increased villus height (P = 0.056) and tended to diminish apoptotic cell numbers (P = 0.084) in the jejunum compared with those fed a basal diet. Similarly, these beneficial effects were observed in the pterostilbene-fed piglets. Pterostilbene improved the feed efficiency of weanling piglets between the ages of 21 and 28 days; it also resulted in diminished plasma diamine oxidase activity and D-lactate content relative to untreated weaned piglets (P < 0.05). Notably, pterostilbene restored jejunal antioxidant capacity, an effect that was nearly absent in the resveratrol-fed piglets. Pterostilbene reduced the malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-2´-deoxyguanosine contents of jejunal mucosa possibly through its regulatory role in facilitating the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 and the expression levels of NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 and superoxide dismutase 2 (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results indicate that pterostilbene may be more effective than its parent compound in alleviating early weaning-induced intestinal damage and redox imbalance among young piglets.

Milk Replacer Supplementation Ameliorates Growth Performance and Rumen Microbiota of Early-Weaning Yimeng Black Goats

“…The adaptation of animals to feed replacement is a gradual process, especially in juvenile ruminants with an immature gastrointestinal tract ( 23 ). Therefore, the abrupt change of feed from udder milk to milk replacer can result in a severe stress response, which is also considered as an important factor restricting the growth of young animals ( 24 ). In this study, the stress response may be one of the reasons for the slow growth of YBGs in the R group from day 1 to 15.…”

Anti-Inflammatory Action and Mechanisms of Resveratrol

“…Resveratrol has been found to induce a dose-dependent suppression of the production of IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α and down-regulate both mRNA expression and protein secretion of IL-17 in vitro [23]. Dietary resveratrol supplementation is capable of improving tight junction protein zonula occludens-1, Occludin, and claudin-1 expression to reduce intestinal permeability in vivo [24,25]. Resveratrol treatment also reduced the expression of the inflammatory factors, glycation end product receptor (RAGE), NF-кB (P65) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 4 (NOX4) and improved the renal pathological structure [26].…”

Piceatannol Ameliorates Hepatic Oxidative Damage and Mitochondrial Dysfunction of Weaned Piglets Challenged with Diquat

“…The dosage of piceatannol (80 mg/kg/d) on piglets has not been reported in previous studies. However, the dose of piceatannol that we used in this experiment is based on our team’s research on resveratrol [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Piceatannol is similar to resveratrol and is a plant polyphenolic active substance [ 25 ].…”