Curcumin and Selenium Synergistically Alleviate Oxidative Stress in IPEC-J2 Cells and ICR Mice

Oxidative stress is closely associated with diarrhea in piglets, and alleviating intestinal oxidative stress may emerge as an effective strategy for porcine diarrhea. Curcumin (Cur) and selenium (Se) are both well recognized for their potent antioxidant effects. This study established in vitro (IPEC-J2 cells) and in vivo (ICR mice) intestinal oxidative stress models to investigate the effects and mechanisms of Cur combined with Se in alleviating oxidative stress. The results showed that Cur and Se exhibited synergistic antioxidant effects in vitro, outperforming individual treatments. Additionally, pretreatment with Cur and Se significantly attenuated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in ICR mice and improved serum antioxidant indices. Specifically, the mRNA levels of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO-1 were upregulated, while the mRNA levels of NF-κB, IL-1β, and TNF-α were downregulated in colonic tissues. Finally, the 16S rRNA sequencing showed that DSS reduced alpha diversity and increased Simpson indices, while Cur and Se restored diversity indices and normalized beta diversity. To summarize, Cur and Se synergistically alleviate oxidative stress in IPEC-J2 cells and ICR mice, demonstrating therapeutic potential for intestinal disorders in pigs.