Effects of Dietary Galla Chinensis Tannin Supplementation on Antioxidant Capacity and Intestinal Microbiota Composition in Broilers

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary Galla Chinensis tannin (GCT) supplementation on antioxidant capacity and gut microbiota composition in broilers. Two hundred eighty-eight Arbor Acres broiler chicks were divided into the CON group and the GCT group; each treatment group contained 6 replicates with 24 broiler chicks per replicate for a period of 42 days, and were fed either a basal diet or the basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/kg GCT. Results revealed that GCT supplementation significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity (p < 0.05) and significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MAD) concentrations in serum (p < 0.05) and significantly increased GSH-Px and catalase (CAT) (p < 0.05) and significantly decreased MDA concentrations in the small intestine. In addition, GCT significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) the gene expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX1), and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1). High-throughput sequencing results showed that GCT supplementation significantly increased abundances of Faecalibacterium and Megamonas (p < 0.05). These findings will contribute to our understanding of the effects of dietary Galla Chinensis tannin supplementation on antioxidant capacity and intestinal microbiota composition in broilers.