Allicin enhances urea-N conversion to microbial-N by inhibiting urease activity and modulating the rumen microbiome in cattle.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Urea serves as a vital nonprotein nitrogen source in ruminant nutrition, but its efficient utilization is often hampered due to rapid urease activity in the rumen. This study explores the potential of allicin, a garlic-derived compound, as a urease inhibitor to improve urea nitrogen utilization. Enzyme inhibition kinetics and molecular docking were used to identify allicin's interaction sites on urease. Additionally, metagenomic and ¹⁵N-urea metabolic flux analyses were conducted to evaluate allicin's impact on microbial populations and urea-N metabolism.

Results

Allicin was identified as an inhibitor of ruminal urease, with an IC₅₀ of 126.77 ± 1.21 μM. Molecular docking studies have shown that allicin forms hydrogen bonds with key urease res

SUBMITTER: Zhang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12083136 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature