Natural Antioxidants in Animal Nutrition

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Outcomes of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1893

Special Issue Editors

College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: nutrition metabolism; plant extracts; probiotics; intestinal barrier function; gut–liver axis; antioxidant
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Guest Editor
College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: epitranscriptome; m6A RNA methylation; mucosal immunity; stem cells; gut–liver axis; nutrition metabolism; plant extracts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: animal developmental physiology and nutritional regulation; antioxidant additive and plant extracts

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: antioxidant; plant extracts; oxidative stress; intestinal health; mitochondrial function
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: antioxidant activity; oxidative stress; redox regulation; intestinal inflammation; gut microbiota; mitochondria; natural extracts

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The role and importance of natural antioxidants in animal nutrition are receiving more attention as we advance in the field of intensive farming. Animals are exposed to a range of stressors during their growth, including environmental shifts, variations in feed quality, and diseases. These stressors can trigger the overproduction of free radicals, which in turn induce oxidative stress, damage cells and tissues, and impact animal health and productivity. Natural antioxidants, including polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins C and E, and trace elements such as zinc and selenium, play a crucial role in mitigating the negative impacts of oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals and facilitating antioxidant defense systems, which enhances animal growth performance and the quality of the resulting animal products. Moreover, the strategic use of natural antioxidants can decrease the dependency on antibiotics and synthetic antioxidants, thereby advancing the adoption of green and sustainable farming methods. Consequently, thorough research into the mechanisms by which natural antioxidants function in animal nutrition, along with their informed and judicious application in agricultural practices, is essential for enhancing animal health and boosting production efficiency.

This Special Issue particularly focuses on the following:

  • Types of natural antioxidants and their biological activities.
  • Effects of natural antioxidants in different animal species.
  • The relationship between natural antioxidants and the animal immune system.
  • Impact of natural antioxidants on the quality of animal products.
  • Application strategies and future development directions of natural antioxidants.

All scientific works (including original research papers and reviews) in this field are welcome in this Special Issue.

Dr. Lili Zhang
Prof. Dr. Xiang Zhong
Dr. Chao Wang
Dr. Hao Zhang
Guest Editors

Dr. Jingfei Zhang
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • antioxidants
  • animal
  • growth
  • metabolism
  • nutrition
  • oxidative stress
  • plant extracts

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 3479 KiB  
Article
Ferulic Acid Alleviates Lipid and Bile Acid Metabolism Disorders by Targeting FASN and CYP7A1 in Iron Overload-Treated Mice
by Yaxu Liang, Jun Qi, Dongming Yu, Zhibo Wang, Weite Li, Fei Long, Shuai Ning, Meng Yuan and Xiang Zhong
Antioxidants 2024, 13(11), 1277; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13111277 - 23 Oct 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1569
Abstract
Iron overload is a common complication in various chronic liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Lipid and bile acid metabolism disorders are regarded as crucial hallmarks of NAFLD. However, effects of iron accumulation on lipid and bile acid metabolism are not [...] Read more.
Iron overload is a common complication in various chronic liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Lipid and bile acid metabolism disorders are regarded as crucial hallmarks of NAFLD. However, effects of iron accumulation on lipid and bile acid metabolism are not well understood. Ferulic acid (FA) can chelate iron and regulate lipid and bile acid metabolism, but its potential to alleviate lipid and bile acid metabolism disorders caused by iron overload remains unclear. Here, in vitro experiments, iron overload induced oxidative stress, apoptosis, genomic instability, and lipid deposition in AML12 cells. FA reduced lipid and bile acid synthesis while increasing fatty acid β-oxidation and bile acid export, as indicated by increased mRNA expression of PPARα, Acox1, Adipoq, Bsep, and Shp, and decreased mRNA expression of Fasn, Acc, and Cyp7a1. In vivo experiments, FA mitigated liver injury in mice caused by iron overload, as indicated by reduced AST and ALT activities, and decreased iron levels in both serum and liver. RNA-seq results showed that differentially expressed genes were enriched in biological processes related to lipid metabolism, lipid biosynthesis, lipid storage, and transport. Furthermore, FA decreased cholesterol and bile acid contents, downregulated lipogenesis protein FASN, and bile acid synthesis protein CYP7A1. In conclusion, FA can protect the liver from lipid and bile acid metabolism disorders caused by iron overload by targeting FASN and CYP7A1. Consequently, FA, as a dietary supplement, can potentially prevent and treat chronic liver diseases related to iron overload by regulating lipid and bile acid metabolism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Antioxidants in Animal Nutrition)
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