Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42216074›Full record

ArticleJournal of animal science and biotechnology2026

Dietary baicalin supplementation enhances growth performance in fattening Hu sheep via dual modulation of immunity and gastrointestinal microbiome-metabolic crosstalk.

Di Ding, Yu Zhang, Haoliang Tian, Binghan Dong, Xin Wu, Shaohua Liu, Tengyun Gao, Liyang Zhang, Tong Fu

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of animal science and biotechnology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Di Ding *Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Regulation and Ecological Raising of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China.
Yu Zhang *Henan International Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Regulation and Ecological Raising of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China.
Haoliang TianHenan International Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Regulation and Ecological Raising of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China.
Binghan DongHenan International Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Regulation and Ecological Raising of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China.
Xin WuHenan International Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Regulation and Ecological Raising of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China.
Shaohua LiuHenan International Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Regulation and Ecological Raising of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China.
Tengyun GaoHenan International Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Regulation and Ecological Raising of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China.
Liyang ZhangHenan International Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Regulation and Ecological Raising of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China. zhangliyang@henau.edu.cn.
Tong FuHenan International Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Regulation and Ecological Raising of Domestic Animal, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China. futong2004@126.com.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2024YFD1300204
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBaicalin is a bioactive flavonoid from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi with antioxidant, anti‑inflammatory and antibacterial properties. However, its bitter taste and susceptibility to ruminal degradation limit its practical use in mammals. Enteric coating technology might overcome these limitations by enabling targeted intestinal release. This study investigated effects of dietary supplementation with baicalin and coated baicalin on rumen fermentation, gastrointestinal microbiota, immune function and growth performance in Hu sheep.

resultsThirty-six lambs with similar body weight (33.01 ± 2.68 kg) were randomly assigned to three groups (4 replicates per group, 3 sheep per replicate). The control group was fed basal diet (CON) while treatment I (BAI) and treatment II (C-BAI) groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.1% baicalin and coated baicalin, respectively. After a 60-d feeding trial, baicalin and coated baicalin supplementation improved total weight gain and average daily gain compared with CON group (P < 0.05). In addition, BAI and C-BAI groups exhibited higher total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05) and catalase activity (P < 0.05) with associated lower malondialdehyde levels (P < 0.05). Immunoglobulin G and anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4) were also increased (P < 0.001). Notably, IgM, IL-10 and IL-4 in the C-BAI group exceeded those of the BAI group (P < 0.001). Microbiome analysis revealed that baicalin supplementation enriched abundance of beneficial bacterial taxa including Firmicutes and Lachnoclostridium (P < 0.05) and reduced potential pathogen abundance, e.g., Treponema and Ralstonia (P < 0.05). The C-BAI group also showed increased abundance of the beneficial Bradyrhizobium compared with CON (P < 0.05). Metabolomic analysis revealed that baicalin altered propionate and tyrosine metabolic pathways (P < 0.05), while coated baicalin modulated penicillin metabolism and glyceride metabolism in jejunum (P < 0.05) increasing ATP production. Overall, these results indicated enhanced nutrient metabolism and gut health in the presence of dietary baicalin.

conclusionsDietary supplementation with baicalin and coated baicalin improved growth performance, antioxidant status, immunity and beneficially modulated the microbiome-metabolome crosstalk in Hu sheep. Notably, uncoated baicalin exerted more pronounced effects on growth performance and supported a role for baicalin as a potential and functional feed additive.

Indexed as

BaicalinImmunityMicrobiome-metabolic crosstalkRumen fermentationSheep

Identifiers

PMID42216074
PMCPMC13221762

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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.