Boswellia serrata powder extract in postweaning piglets feeding

The anti-inflammatory Indian frankincense Boswellia serrata was studied with the aim to evaluate the effect on inflammatory parameters and reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) in postweaning piglets. A total of 80 weaned piglets (average body weight: 10.0 ± 0.43 kg) were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments: control diet (CON) and CON supplemented with 1 kg/t of extract (BOSW). Blood samples were collected at the beginning (day 0) and at the end of trial (day 28) to test the expression of pro-inflammatory (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and INF-γ) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10) cytokines and to quantify ROMs. Body weights were recorded at day 0 and day 28 and skin lesions were evaluated weekly. Data were tested for normality and they resulted normal except IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ, which were analyzed with non-parametric test. Performance data and blood parameters were analyzed by ANOVA with dietary treatment, sex and time as effects. Chi-square tests were used to compare skin lesions with dietary treatment. Growth performance, skin lesions and cytokines were not affected by dietary treatment. A time effect was detected for IL-4 (4.19 ± 1.39 vs 10.08 ± 1.52), IL-6 (10.83 ± 0.80 vs 13.53 ± 0.43), IL-8 (6.11 ± 0.56 vs 9.51 ± 0.84) and TNF-α (8.80 ± 0.65 vs 11.53 ± 0.51) (p < 0.05), resulting higher at day 28 than at day 0. Compared to females, males had higher values for IL-1β (10.38 ± 0.60 vs 8.68 ± 0.55; p = 0.045), IL-6 (13.13 0.47± vs 11.13± 0.84; p = 0.043) and TNF-α (11.39 ± 0.47 vs 8.94 ± 0.70); p = 0.002), while a trend has observed for IL-8 (8.69 ± 0.81 vs 6.91 ± 0.73; p = 0.08). ROMs were not affected by diet (p = 0.82) showing 46.72 ± 2.64 vs 46.18 ± 2.17 H2O2/100 ml in CON and BOSW respectively. These preliminary results need to further investigate doses and length of supplementation of B. serrata, to verify the potential effects reported in other livestock species.