Hypericin regulates the intestinal microbiota, promotes intestinal development, and improves the apparent digestible...

This study investigated the impact of dietary supplementation with hypericin (HP) on growth performance, apparent digestible rate, intestinal development and intestinal microbiota in broilers. A total of 360 one-day-old AA white-feathered broilers were randomly divided into six groups, with six replicates in each group and 10 birds in each replicate. The rearing cycle lasted for 42 days. The six groups were as follows: a blank control group fed with a basal diet (CK group); an antibiotic control group with 50 mg/kg of chlortetracycline added to the basal diet (AMG group); the HP addition groups were administered 100 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 250 mg/kg of HP, respectively, in addition to the basal diet. The results showed that HP supplementation of 200 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg promoted crude protein, crude ash, and crude fiber apparent digestible rates in broilers. The 250 mg/kg group significantly improved the slaughter yield of broilers while effectively promoting reverse cholesterol transport and enhancing hepatic lipid metabolism, thereby markedly reducing total cholesterol content in the liver. The addition of HP (200 mg/kg) could promote the development of intestinal morphology in the later stage of growth, significantly increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacterial species (such as UCG-005 bacterial species), while significantly reducing the relative abundance of harmful bacterial species (such as Alistipes) in the cecum of broilers, contribute to the improvement of lipid metabolism, maintain intestinal health and balance, and enhance the digestion and absorption of nutrients in broilers. Therefore, the more appropriate addition amounts of HP were 200 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg.