In vitro effects of a phytogenic feed additive in a co-culture model of the piglet gut

Animal health, welfare, and performance are essential concerns of the livestock industry, influenced by a multitude of complex factors. For example, an intact gut barrier is essential for animal gut health and correlates directly with systemic and local health issues. Phytogenic feed additives may play an essential role in positively boosting animal gut health. Recently, a novel in vitro co-culture model of the piglet gut [1] to assess gut barrier integrity has been described and used to evaluate the effects of phytogenic essential oil mixtures such as oregano oil. Intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are co-cultivated, as a model for apical and basolateral sides of the porcine intestinal epithelium. PBMCs were stimulated with 1.25 µg/mL Concanavalin A (ConA) to simulate an inflammation response in vitro, indicated by decreased transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) that is measured using chopstick electrodes. In this trial, a phytogenic feed additive (BIOMIN Holding GmbH) including carvacrol, menthol, and methyl salicylate, was applied to the test system at 150 µg/mL. Effects on barrier integrity were evaluated in the absence or presence of the challenge stimulus over 48 hours. Basolateral addition of the phytogenic feed additive to the test system mitigated the effects of the applied ConA stimulus and increased TEER by 12.4%, compared with the stimulated control (n=4, P<0.05). This indicates positive effects of the phytogenic feed additive on intestinal epithelial barrier integrity in vitro in the presence of an inflammatory stimulus.

Publication History

Article published online:
13 December 2021

• References

• 1 Schott, et al. 2021 (Planta Medica, accepted)