Table 2_Effects of dietary Solanum nigrum L. supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, ileal transcriptomic profile, and cecal microbiome in Wuhua yellow-feathered chickens.xlsx

Although studies have investigated Solanum nigrum L. (SNL) in mice, its effects on broilers remain unclear. This study examined how dietary SNL influences growth performance, antioxidant capacity, ileal transcriptome, and gut microbiota in broilers. A total of 200 one-day-old healthy Wuhua yellow-feathered chickens were randomly divided into four groups of five replicates (10 birds each). The groups received: a basal diet (CON), a basal diet with 500 mg/kg amoxicillin (AMO), a basal diet with 1000 mg/kg SNL grass meal (0.1% SNL), and a basal diet with 2000 mg/kg SNL grass meal (0.2% SNL). The experiment lasted 35 days. SNL supplementation modestly improved feed efficiency and jejunal villus height (p = 0.019). It also altered cecal microbiota by increasing Bacteroidetes, Bacteroides, and Faecalibacterium, while decreasing Firmicutes and Oscillibacter. Ileal transcriptomics identified multiple differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across comparisons, which were enriched in intestinal immune network pathways for IgA production. Correlation analysis linked cecal microbiota changes to ileal gene expression. In conclusion, SNL exhibits the potential as an alternative to antibiotics in chickens, and this study provides empirical support for its broader adoption in poultry industry.

尽管已有研究在小鼠模型中对龙葵（Solanum nigrum L., SNL）展开相关探究，但其对肉鸡的作用效果仍未明确。本研究旨在探究日粮添加龙葵对肉鸡生长性能、抗氧化能力、回肠转录组以及肠道菌群的影响。试验共选取200只1日龄健康五华黄羽肉鸡，随机分为4组，每组设置5个重复单元，每个重复包含10只肉鸡。各组饲喂的日粮分别为：基础日粮组（CON组）、基础日粮添加500 mg/kg阿莫西林（AMO组）、基础日粮添加1000 mg/kg龙葵草粉（0.1% SNL组）以及基础日粮添加2000 mg/kg龙葵草粉（0.2% SNL组）。试验周期共计35天。结果显示，日粮添加龙葵可适度提升肉鸡的饲料转化率与空肠绒毛高度（p=0.019）。同时，龙葵可重塑肉鸡盲肠菌群结构：显著提高拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）、拟杆菌属（Bacteroides）与粪杆菌属（Faecalibacterium）的相对丰度，同时降低厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）与颤螺菌属（Oscillibacter）的相对丰度。回肠转录组分析共鉴定得到多组差异表达基因（DEGs），这些基因显著富集于IgA生成肠道免疫网络通路。相关性分析表明，盲肠菌群的变化与回肠基因表达水平存在显著关联。综上，龙葵具备作为肉鸡养殖中抗生素替代品的应用潜力，本研究为其在家禽养殖业中的大规模推广应用提供了实证支撑。