Colistin and tylosin enhances disaccharidase activities, and improves morphology and permeability of the intestine of broilers

ABSTRACT

1. The present study focused on the potential effects of antibiotics on intestinal digestion and integrity in broilers in terms of disaccharidase activity, electrophysiological properties and morphology.

2. One-day-old Arbour Acres birds were randomly allocated to one of four treatment groups for 42 days; control, colistin (20 mg/kg), tylosin (55 mg/kg) or chlortetracycline (CTC, 55 mg/kg) groups. Colistin and tylosin supplementation, but not CTC supplementation, caused an increase in body weight gain.

3. Colistin and tylosin elevated the activities of maltase and sucrase in the mucosa of the jejunum on d 42. Age caused a gradual decrease in the short-circuit current (Isc) and conductance (Gt) of the ileum, as a measure of permeability. The Isc and Gt of the ileum were higher in the colistin-supplemented broilers than in the control birds on d 42. Tylosin- and CTC-supplemented birds displayed Isc and Gt values similar to those of the control birds.

4. Colistin supplementation increased the villus area in the jejunum and thinned the muscularis mucosae in the ileum compared with the control group. Tylosin supplementation decreased the thickness of the muscularis mucosae and the depth of crypt in the jejunum. CTC thickened the muscularis mucosae in the jejunum and ileum.

5. Colistin and tylosin exhibited a beneficial effect on intestinal digestion and integrity by enhancing disaccharidase activities and improving gut morphology and permeability.

KEYWORDS:

• Antibiotics
• disaccharidase
• electrophysiological properties
• intestinal morphology
• broiler

Acknowledgments

This project has been funded by the Council of Agriculture of the Republic of China (96AS-2. 1. 2-AD-U1). We thank Ying-An Chu and I-Nung Huang for their analytical assistance.

Disclosure Statement

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Council of Agriculture [96AS-2. 1. 2-AD-U1].