AUTHOR=Huang Ting , Zhang Zheng-Yue , Qiu Zhi-Lin , Li Lin , Liu Xian-Xi , Wang Lei , Wang Zi-Ying , Li Zhi-Peng , Xiao Geng-Sheng , Wang Wei 

TITLE=Effect of Cymbopogon martini (Roxb.) Will.Watson essential oil on antioxidant activity, immune and intestinal barrier-related function, and gut microbiota in pigeons infected by Candida albicans

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1380277

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2024.1380277

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p>Essential oils are potential alternatives to antibiotics for preventing <italic>Candida</italic> albicans (C. albicans) infection which is responsible for economic losses in the pigeon industry. <italic>Cymbopogon martini</italic> essential oil (EO) can inhibit pathogens, particularly fungal pathogens but its potential beneficial effects on <italic>C. albicans</italic>-infected pigeons remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the impact of <italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO on antioxidant activity, immune response, intestinal barrier function, and intestinal microbiota in <italic>C. albicans</italic>-infected pigeons. The pigeons were divided into four groups as follows: (1) NC group: <italic>C. albicans</italic> uninfected/<italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO untreated group; (2) PC group: <italic>C. albicans</italic> infected/<italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO untreated group; (3) LPA group: <italic>C. albicans</italic> infected/1% <italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO treated group; and (4) HPA group: <italic>C. albicans</italic> infected/2% <italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO treated group. The pigeons were infected with <italic>C. albicans</italic> from day of age 35 to 41 and treated with <italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO from day of age 42 to 44, with samples collected on day of age 45 for analysis. The results demonstrated that <italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO prevented the reduction in the antioxidant enzymes SOD and GSH-Px causes by <italic>C. albicans</italic> challenge in pigeons. Furthermore, <italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO could decrease the relative expression of <italic>IL-1β</italic>, <italic>TGF-β</italic>, and <italic>IL-8</italic> in the ileum, as well as <italic>IL-1β</italic> and <italic>IL-8</italic> in the crop, while increasing the relative expression of <italic>Claudin-1</italic> in the ileum and the crop and <italic>Occludin</italic> in the ileum in infected pigeons. Although the gut microbiota composition was not significantly affected by <italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO, 2% <italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO increased the abundance of <italic>Alistipes</italic> and <italic>Pedobacter</italic>. In conclusion, the application of 2% <italic>C</italic>. <italic>martini</italic> EO not only enhanced the level of antioxidant activity and the expression of genes related to intestinal barrier function but also inhibited inflammatory genes in <italic>C. albicans</italic>-infected pigeons and increased the abundance of gut bacteria that are resistant to <italic>C. albicans</italic>.</p>