Abstract
To evaluate the functions of safflower on aquatic animal, the effects of dietary safflower supplementation on growth performance, immunity response, short-chain fatty acids, and intestinal microflora of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) were studied in the present study. Four isonitrogen and isolipid experimental diets were formulated by adding 0, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 1.00% safflower to the basal diet (CON, S-0.25%, S-0.50%, and S-1.00%, respectively). The results showed that safflower supplementation (S-0.50%) significantly improves the growth performance (FBW, WGR, SGR) compared with that of the CON group ( P < 0.05 ). Similarly, safflower also promoted the CAT and LZM activities in the midgut, yet the content of MDA in the S-0.50% group was reduced ( P < 0.05 ). The content of proinflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-12) in serum underwent significant reduction ( P < 0.05 ); the level of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 had an upward trend in the S-0.50% group. Moreover, the mRNA expression levels of the IL-10, TGF-β, NF-κB, and TLR-1 gene in the head kidney were remarkably upregulated ( P < 0.05 ) in safflower addition groups, while IL-6 and IL-1β were downregulated significantly in the S-1.00% group ( P < 0.05 ). After 96 hours of the A. hydrophila challenge test, the survival rate of common carp had been improved greatly with the safflower addition, which was most impressive in the S-1.00% group. Additionally, the levels of acetic acid and butyric acid in intestinal contents were significantly higher in the S-0.50% and S-1.00% groups than in the CON group ( P < 0.05 ). Dietary safflower increased the intestinal microbiota abundance of Fusobacteria at the phylum level. At the genus level, the abundance of beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) increased significantly in the S-1.00% group; some pathogens such as Aeromonas, Shigella, and Streptococcus were inhibited. Spearman coefficient analysis revealed that the contents of SCFAs were positively correlated with probiotics and negatively correlated with pathogens. In summary, safflower addition at an appropriate dose can promote the immune functions of the common carp by producing the short-chain fatty acids and regulating the intestinal microflora.
Highlights
With the expansion and development of aquaculture in China, intensive and large-scale farming gradually replaced the extensive and semiextensive farming model [1,2,3]
After 8 weeks of the feeding trial, the FBW, WGR, and SGR increased with safflower up to 0.50% supplement and decreased, which was significantly higher in the S-0.50% group compared to the crushed into powder and 0% (CON) and S-1.00% groups (Table 3) (P < 0:05)
It is important of practical significance to search for antibiotic substitutes and develop nontoxic and nonresidual green feed additives [4, 6]
Summary
With the expansion and development of aquaculture in China, intensive and large-scale farming gradually replaced the extensive and semiextensive farming model [1,2,3]. Aquaculture Nutrition researches have been focused on the nonantibiotic approaches (such as Chinese herbal medicine) to solve these problems which plague large numbers of aquaculturists [10]. Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) play important roles in the prevention and treatment of disease. It is a widely recognized material heritage [11, 12]. Previous studies have shown that the addition of CHM in aquatic feed can effectively promote growth, enhance immunity, and regulate the intestinal microflora homeostasis [14,15,16,17,18]. Safflower contains numerous chemical components (secondary metabolites) which can treat gastrointestinal diseases [26]
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