Avaliação dos efeitos da infusão de Marrubium vulgare sobre ganho de peso, conversão alimentar e parâmetros bioquímicos em suínos recém desmamados

Abstract

Until recently pig feed contained antibiotics to prevent diseases and animal growth promoting in industrial pig farming. In that context, there have been an increasing attention in the usage of biological products which are alternative feed additives including phytogenic products. Currently, the potential for agricultural antibiotics to contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria of human concern is the subject of intense debate and research. Thus for several years antibiotics were added as growth promoters in diets for post-weaning piglets. In this context, interest in the use of biological products has increased that may be alternative to feed additives including phytogenic products. The medicinal plant Marrubium vulgare L (Labiateae), due to its pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial and digestion improvement, previously demonstrated in preclinical experiments, encouraged us to investigate the potential alternative additive to growth-promoting antibiotics. The study was carried out in the Southwest region of Paraná in the city of Santa Izabel do Oeste in a unit producing termination piglets. The infusion of M. vulgare aerial parts was administered orally daily to newly weaned pigs of both sexes for 28 consecutive days. Thirty male piglets were divided into 5 groups of 6 piglets each. The groups were distributed in group 1 (G1) as a control, where only physiological solution was administered; group 2 (G2) as a positive control, which received clenbuterol at a dose of 0.08 mg/kg; group 3 (G3) which was admnistered M. vulgare infusion (IMV) at a concentration of 1% (IMV1); group 4 (G4) which was administered IMV at a concentration of 10% (IMV10); group 5 (G5) which was administered IMV at a concentration of 20% (IMV20). On days zero (0), seven (07), fourteen (14), twenty one (21) and twenty eight (28) the animals were weighed and blood was collected from the jugular vein for hematological and biochemistry analysis. Treatment of animals for 28 days resulted in increases in feed conversion in IMV1 with -12.14 and IMV10 with -12.21 compared to G2. In the same groups, a final weight of 7.35 and 4.03, respectively, was observed in relation to G2. The results showed that the IMV promoted increases in weight growth, weight gain and feed conversion in the relative concentrations of IMV 1 and IMV 10 when compared with the control group and positive control group. In the same groups, a final weight of 7.35 and 4.03, respectively, was observed in relation to G2. The weight gain was 9 and 9.49 respectively in relation to G2. Standard diterpenoid spectra were obtained from IMV10 chromatograms by mass-coupled high-efficiency ultrasonography (UPLC-MS) and derivatives of these phytoconstituents were also identified in pig plasma, indicating their absorption. Chronic treatment with IMV for 28 days at concentrations 1, 10 and 20 did not cause hematological, biochemical and blood metabolite changes, ruling out the possibility of toxigenic effects at the relative doses tested. From the results of our work we can suggest that the treatment of animals with IMV significantly improved zootechnical parameters such as feed conversion, weight gain and final weight, suggesting a possible phytobiotic activity of M. vulgare infusion, without presenting toxigenic effects.