Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40355956›Full record

ArticleJournal of animal science and biotechnology2025

Usnic acid and tannic acid as inhibitors of coccidia and Clostridium perfringens: alleviating necrotic enteritis and improving intestinal health in broiler chickens.

Huiping Xu, Minghao Yang, Jianyang Fu, Huiyuan Lv, Jiang Guo, Changji Lu, Zengpeng Lv, Yuming Guo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of animal science and biotechnology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Huiping XuState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Minghao YangState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Jianyang FuState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Huiyuan LvBeijing Centre Biology Co., Ltd., Beijing, 100193, China.
Jiang GuoFujian Sunner Development Co., Ltd., Nanping, 354199, China.
Changji LuFujian Sunner Development Co., Ltd., Nanping, 354199, China.
Zengpeng LvState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Yuming GuoState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. guoyum@cau.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8577-4803

Funding

China Agriculture Research System Program CARS-41-G04
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNecrotic enteritis (NE) in broiler chickens leads to significant economic losses in poultry production. This study examined the inhibitory effects of usnic acid and tannic acid on coccidia, sporozoite, and Clostridium perfringens and assessed their influence on growth performance and intestinal health in NE-challenged broilers through in vitro and in vivo experiments.

methodsThe in vitro experiment included 5 treatment groups: the negative control (NC), 2 μmol/L diclazuril (DZ), 30 μmol/L usnic acid (UA), 90 μmol/L tannic acid (TA), and 15 μmol/L usnic acid + 45 μmol/L tannic acid (UTA) groups. The in vivo experiment involved 320 broilers divided into four groups: PC (NE-challenged), SA (500 mg/kg salinomycin premix + NE-challenged), UA (300 mg/kg usnic acid + NE-challenged), and UTA (300 mg/kg usnic acid + 500 mg/kg tannic acid + NE-challenged) groups.

resultsIn the in vitro study, the UA, TA, and UTA treatments significantly increased apoptosis in coccidian oocysts and sporozoites, lowered the mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.05), and disrupted the oocyst structure compared with those in the NC group. UA and TA had inhibitory effects on C. perfringens, with the strongest inhibition observed in the UTA group. The in vivo results demonstrated that the SA group presented significantly improved growth performance on d 13, 21, and 28 (P < 0.05), whereas the UA and UTA groups presented improvements on d 13 and 21 (P < 0.05). The SA, UA, and UTA treatments reduced the intestinal lesion scores by d 28 and the fecal coccidian oocyst counts from d 19 to 21 (P < 0.05). Compared with the PC group, the UA and UTA groups presented lower intestinal sIgA levels and CD8

conclusionUsnic acid and tannic acid induce apoptosis in coccidia and sporozoites by lowering the mitochondrial membrane potential. Both usnic acid alone and in combination with tannic acid alleviate NE-induced adverse effects in broilers by modulating intestinal immunity, altering the microbial composition, and improving intestinal barrier function. Compared with usnic acid alone, the combination of usnic acid and tannic acid had superior effects, providing a promising basis for the development of effective feed additive combinations.

Indexed as

Broiler chickensIntestinal healthNecrotic enteritisTannic acidUsnic acid

Identifiers

PMID40355956
PMCPMC12067911

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.