Metabolomics, network pharmacology, and microbiome analyses uncover the mechanisms of the Chinese herbal formula for the improvement of meat quality in spent hens.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Meat originating from the spent hen is an important source of poultry meat production; however, multiple factors cause the decline in the meat quality of spent hens. Chinese herbs have been widely used as medicine for a long time to prevent diseases and as nutrient supplements to improve the product quality. This experiment explored the effects of adding 1.0% Chinese herbal formula (CHF, including 0.30% Leonurus japonicus Houtt., 0.20% Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., 0.25% Ligustrum lucidum Ait., and 0.25% Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz.) for 120 d to the spent hens' diet through metabolomics, network pharmacology, and microbiome strategies.

Results

The results indicated that CHF supplementation improved the meat quality by reducing drip loss (P < 0.05), b* value (P = 

SUBMITTER: Li Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11789354 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature