Effect of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharides on growth performance, hepatic antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory capacity of broiler chickens

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the impact of varying levels of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharides (GPS) on the health status of broiler chickens. A total of 288 1-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to four groups with six replicates, consisting of 12 chickens in each replicate. The control group (CON) was provided with the basal diet, while the experimental groups were administered 300, 600, and 900 mg/kg of GPS in the basal diet for 42 days. The results demonstrated a significant enhancement in average daily gain (ADG) as a result of GPS supplementation (P < 0.05). The dietary GPS significantly elevated total antioxidation capability (T-AOC) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (P < 0.05), while effectively reducing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum and liver (P < 0.05). Administration of GPS notably inhibited the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway (P < 0.05), decreased interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels (P < 0.05), and increased IL-4 and IL-10 levels (P < 0.05). Additionally, the expression of crucial regulators involved in liver lipid metabolism, including sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP-1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). In contrast, the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α) was significantly enhanced in the GPS-supplemented groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of GPS positively influenced the growth performance, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity of the liver, as well as liver lipid metabolism in broilers.