Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40973965›Full record

ReviewJournal of animal science and biotechnology2025

Silymarin as a feed additive in swine and poultry production: a comprehensive review.

Sungbo Cho, Charles Martin Nyachoti, In Ho Kim

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review 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.

  1. Article
  2. Effects ofAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026
    Article
  3. Redox Homeostasis in Poultry/Animal Production.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Article
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

3 authors.

Sungbo ChoDepartment of Animal Biotechnology, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea.
Charles Martin NyachotiDepartment of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada.
In Ho KimDepartment of Animal Biotechnology, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea. inhokim@dankook.ac.kr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6652-2504

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The widespread ban on in-feed antibiotics in many regions has driven the search for natural alternatives to maintain health and production efficiency in swine and poultry. Phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) derived from herbs and plant extracts have emerged as promising candidates owing to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Among these, silymarin-a flavonolignan complex extracted from milk thistle (Silybum marianum)-has attracted particular attention due to its hepatoprotective and growth-promoting activities. This review summarizes the chemical characteristics and mechanisms of action of silymarin/silybin. Also, evidence from both experimental and field studies shows that silymarin improves growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut health, and reproductive outcomes. Advances in formulation technologies, such as micellization, have been addressed for improved bioavailability of silymarin. Despite these promising results, further long-term field studies and economic evaluations are needed to fully integrate silymarin into commercial animal production systems.

Indexed as

Antibiotic alternativesFeed additivesPoultrySilymarinSwine

Identifiers

PMID40973965
PMCPMC12449794

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.