Eucommia ulmoides and its inhibitory effects on prevotella in piglet gut microbiome through metagenomic and metabolomic analysis.

Abstract

Eucommia ulmoides (EU) is a traditional medicinal plant widely cultivated across China. The combination of EU and feed significantly affects the growth performance, intestinal microbiota composition, and metabolic characteristics of weaned piglets. Forty Landrace x Yorkshire piglets were randomly assigned to four groups: a control group receiving a basal diet, three treatment groups receiving a basal diet supplemented with EU and EU with mix energy (EU+ME), and EU with high protein and energy (EU+HPE), respectively. Growth performance was monitored over a 25-day feeding period, and fecal samples were collected for subsequent metagenomic sequencing and metabolomic analysis. Piglets supplemented with EU, EU+ME, and EU+HPE exhibited significantly improved growth performance, compared to the control group. Metagenomic analysis revealed significant alterations in gut microbiota composition, with increased beneficial bacterial classes and suppression of Prevotella spp. Metabolomic profiling demonstrated distinct metabolic alterations among the treatment groups, with pathway impact analysis highlighting enhanced protein synthesis and energy metabolism. Furthermore, EU supplementation did not affect porcine epidemic diarrhea virus activity in vitro but reduced LPS-induced intestinal inflammation. These findings suggest that EU could be a promising natural additive for improving piglet health and growth, with potential implications for managing post-weaning challenges in swine production.