Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42849238›Full record

ArticlePoultry science2026

Puerarin improved meat quality via the gut-muscle axis mediated by liver metabolites in chicken.

Daozi Zhaxi, Yuxi Zhang, Yi Qing, Yuding Zhang, Dongmei Yang, Chunlin Yu, Chaowu Yang, Zhixiong Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

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

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Daozi ZhaxiKey Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; College of Animal &Veterinary Sciences, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Yuxi ZhangKey Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; College of Animal &Veterinary Sciences, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Yi QingChengdu Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Protection Center, Chengdu, 610081, China.
Yuding ZhangKey Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; College of Animal &Veterinary Sciences, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Dongmei YangKey Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; College of Animal &Veterinary Sciences, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Chunlin YuSichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu, 610066, China.
Chaowu YangSichuan Animal Science Academy, Chengdu, 610066, China.
Zhixiong LiKey Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China; College of Animal &Veterinary Sciences, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, China. Electronic address: lizhixiong@swun.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Improving the meat quality of chicken is a premier objective driven by surging global consumer demand. As a natural isoflavone derivative, Puerarin (PUE) possesses extensive metabolic and regulatory potential, but its exact mechanism in reshaping avian meat quality traits remains poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of PUE supplementation (0.08%) on Daheng chickens over a 70-day rearing period using metagenomics and untargeted LC-MS metabolomics. The results demonstrated that PUE significantly reduced post-mortem drip loss and cooking loss, and enhanced the 45-min post-mortem redness (a*) of leg muscle, while muscle fiber diameter and intramuscular fat (IMF) content remained statistically unaltered. Metagenomic and cecal metabolomic analyses revealed that PUE enriched key microbial consortia, notably Methanobrevibacter, Candidatus_Pelethomonas, Catenibacillus, and Candidatus_Scybalocola, which positively synchronized with the accumulation of enteric antioxidants such as Equol, Puerarin, 6''-O-Malonyldaidzin, and Liquiritin. Liver metabolomics, Mantel tests and mediation analysis identified Candidatus_Scybalocola as a key genus, proving that the gut-driven signals were channeled through adenosine monophosphate (AMP), Fahfa (9:0/18:3), 6''-O-Malonylglycitin, and 5-Hydroxy-3,6,7,8,3',4'-Hexamethoxyflavone. Intramuscularly, these upstream metabolic realignments culminated in the deposition of Spermidine, endogenous Lipoxin B4, and phytogenic flavonoids (Gossypetin 8-Glucuronide 3-Glucoside and Tricin 7-Diglucuronoside). These localized molecular hubs established a powerful barrier that mitigated post-mortem oxidative leakage and stabilized myofibrillar protein frameworks against thermal shrinkage. The overall optimization of water-holding traits highlights PUE as an effective nutritional intervention to enhance broiler meat quality through gut-muscle axis.

Indexed as

ChickenGut-muscle axisMeat qualityPuerarin

Identifiers

PMID42849238
PMCPMC13677399

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.