Adsorption of Chlortetracycline from Water by Rectories

The removal of antibiotics from water by clay minerals has become the focus of research due to their strong adsorptive ability. In this study, adsorption of chlortetracycline (CTC) onto rectories was conducted and the effects of time, concentration, temperature and pH were investigated. Experimental results showed that adsorption equilibrium was reached in 8 h. Based on the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacity of CTC on rectories was 177.7 mg·g 1 at room temperature. By the study on adsorption dynamics, it is found that the kinetic date fit the pseudo-second-order model well. The adsorption of CTC by rectories is endothermic and the free energy is in the range of 10 to 30 kJ·mol 1 . The pH value of solution has significant effects on adsorption and the optimal pH is at acidity (pH 2-6). At concentration of 2500 mg·L 1 , the intercalated CTC produces an interlayer space with a height of 1.38 nm, which is 1.12 nm in raw rectories, suggesting that the adsorption occurs between layers of rectories.

Achieving high-efficient photocatalytic persulfate-activated degradation of tetracycline via carbon dots modified MIL-101(Fe)octahedrons

The synergistic reaction of photocatalysis and advanced oxidation is a valid strategy for the degradation of harmful antibiotic wastewater.Herein,carbon dots(CDs)modified MIL-101(Fe)octahedrons to form CDs/MIL-101(Fe)composite photocatalyst was synthesized for visible light-driven photocatalytic/persulfate(PS)-activated tetracycline(TC)degradation.The electron spin resonance(ESR)spectra,scavenging experiment and electrochemical analysis were carried out to reveal that the high visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation activity of TC over CDs/MIL-101(Fe)photocatalysts is not only ascribed to the production of free active radicals in the CDs/MIL-101(Fe)/PS system(·OH,·SO_(4-),^(1)O_(2),h^(+)and·O_(2)^(-))but also attributed to the consumption of electrons caused by the PS,which can suppress the recombination of photo-generated carriers as well as strong light scattering and electron trapping effects of CDs.Finally,the possible degradation pathways were proposed by analyzing intermediates via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique.This research presents a rational design conception to construct a CDs/PS-based photocatalysis/advanced oxidation technology with high-efficient degradation activity for the remediation of organic antibiotic pollutant wastewater and for the improvement of carrier transport kinetics of photocatalysts.

Development of a Simple Extraction Method for Tetracycline Analogues from Bovine Milk

Tetracycline and analogues are among the most used antibiotics in the dairy industry. Besides the therapeutic uses, tetracyclines are often incorporated into livestock feed as growth promoters. A considerable amount of antibiotics is released unaltered through milk from dairy animals. The presence of antibiotic residues in milk and their subsequent consumption can lead to potential health impacts, including cancer, hypersensitivity reactions, and the development of antibiotic resistance. Thus, it is important to monitor residual levels of tetracyclines in milk. The purpose of this study is to develop a quick and simple method for simultaneously extracting five tetracycline analogues from bovine milk. Specifically, five tetracycline analogues: Chlortetracycline (CTC), demeclocycline (DEM), doxycycline (DC), minocycline (MC), and tetracycline (TC) were simultaneously extracted from milk using trifluoroacetic acid. Subsequently, the extracted analogues were separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and detected at 355 nm using UV/Vis. Calibration curves for all five tetracycline analogues show excellent linearity (r2 value > 0.99). Percent recovery for MC, TC, DEM, CTC, and DC were: 31.88%, 96.91%, 151.29, 99.20%, and 85.58% respectively. The developed extraction method has good precision (RSD < 9.9% for 4 of the 5 analogues). The developed method with minimal sample preparation and pretreatment has the potential to serve as an initial screening test.

Efficacy and safety of low-dose tetracycline,amoxicillin quadruple therapy in Helicobacter pylori infection:A retrospective single center study

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)eradication rates have declined with the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains in recent years.Although highly effective with a low prevalence of resistance,standard dose tetracycline is associated with frequent adverse events.The efficacy and safety of low-dose tetracycline as part of tetra-cycline and amoxicillin-containing bismuth quadruple therapy are not well described.AIM To compare the efficacy and safety of low-dose compared to standard dose tetracycline with combined amoxicillin-containing bismuth quadruple therapy in patients with H.pylori infection.METHODS Consecutive patients with H.pylori infection receiving tetracycline,amoxicillin,proton pump inhibitor,and bismuth for 14 days at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital(1/2022-6/2023)were evaluated.The low-dose tetracycline group received tetracycline 500 mg twice daily(bid)while the standard dose group received 750 mg bid or 500 mg three times daily(tid).Primary endpoints were H.pylori eradication rate and treatment-related adverse events.

Mesoporous amorphous FeOOH-encapsulated BiO_(2–x) photocatalyst with harnessing broad spectrum toward activation of persulfate for tetracycline degradation

With the growing concern about the water environment,the advanced oxidation process of persulfate activation assisted by photocatalysis has attracted considerable attention to decompose dissolved organic micropollutants.In this work,to overcome the drawbacks of the photocatalytic activity reduction caused by the photo-corrosion of non-stoichiometric BiO_(2–x),a novel material with amorphous FeOOH in situ grown on layered BiO_(2–x) to form a core-shell structure similar to popcorn chicken-like morphology was produced in two simple and environmentally beneficial steps.Through a series of degradation activity tests of hybrid materials under different conditions,the as-prepared materials exhibited remarkable degradation activity and stability toward tetracycline in the FeOOH@BiO_(2–x)/Vis/PS system due to the synergism of photocatalysis and persulfate activation.The results of XRD,SEM,TEM,XPS,FTIR,and BET show that the loading of FeOOH increases the specific surface area and active sites appreciably;the heterogeneous structure formed by FeOOH and BiO_(2–x) is more favorable to the effective separation of photogenerated carriers.The optimal degradation conditions were at a catalyst addition of 0.7 g·L^(–1),a persulfate concentration of 1.0 g·L^(–1),and an initial pH of 4.5,at which the degradation rate could reach 94.7%after 90 min.The influence of typical inorganic anions on degradation was also examined.ESR studies and radical quenching experiments revealed that·OH,SO_(4)^(-)·,and·O_(2)^(-)were the principal active species generated during the degradation of tetracycline.The results of the 1,10-phenanthroline approach proved that the effect of dissolved iron ions on the tetracycline degradation was limited,and the interfacial reaction that occurs on the active sites on the material's surface was a critical factor.This work provides a novel method for producing efficient broad-spectrum Bismuth-based composite photocatalysts and photocatalytic-activated persulfate synergistic degradation of tetracycline.

Selective adsorption of tetracycline by β-CD-immobilized sodium alginate aerogel coupled with ultrafiltration for reclaimed water

In this work,a novel composite material based on β-cyclodextrin-immobilized sodium alginate aerogel(β-CD/NaAlg) was developed utilizing cross-linker of epichlorohydrin and applied as an adsorbent to remove tetracycline antibiotics from reclaimed wastewater.A series of characterizations were utilized to confirm the successful synthesis of the adsorbent and this β-CD/NaAlg presented a three-dimensional network at the nanoscale or microscale.Under optimal conditions(pH=4,t=8 h,β-CD:NaAlg=9,adsorbent dosage = 1.5 g·L-1),the maximum removal rate of β-CD/NaAlg to tetracycline was 70%.The adsorption behavior of tetracycline on β-CD/NaAlg conformed to the Freundlich isotherm model(R2=0.9977) and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model(R^(2)=0.9993).Moreover,the adsorbent still removed 55.3% of tetracycline after five cycles.Specially,the adsorbent was integrated with ultrafiltration to adsorb tetracycline antibiotics from simulated reclaimed wastewater,and the removal rate of tetracycline reached 78.9% within 2 h.The existence of Cr(Ⅵ) had a negligible impact on tetracycline removal,while the presence of humic acid exhibited a promoting effect.The possible adsorption mechanisms were also elucidated through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory analysis.In summary,β-CD/NaAlg represents an environmentally friendly,efficient,and sustainable adsorbent for removing tetracycline antibiotics from reclaimed water.

Carbon-doped CuFe_(2)O_(4) with C-O-M channels for enhanced Fenton-like degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride: From construction to mechanism

Carbon-doped copper ferrite(C–CuFe_(2)O_(4))was synthesized by a simple two-step hydrothermal method,which showed enhanced tetracycline hydrochloride(TCH)removal efficiency as compared to the pure CuFe_(2)O_(4) in Fenton-like reaction.A removal efficiency of 94%was achieved with 0.2 g L^(-1) catalyst and 20 mmol L^(-1) H_(2)O_(2) within 90 min.We demonstrated that 5%C–CuFe_(2)O_(4) catalyst in the presence of H_(2)O_(2) was significantly efficient for TCH degradation under the near-neutral pH(5–9)without buffer.Multiple techniques,including SEM,TEM,XRD,FTIR,Raman,XPS M€ossbauer and so on,were conducted to investigate the structures,morphologies and electronic properties of as-prepared samples.The introduction of carbon can effectively accelerate electron transfer by cooperating with Cu and Fe to activate H_(2)O_(2) to generate·OH and·O_(2)^(-).Particularly,theoretical calculations display that the p,p,d orbital hybridization of C,O,Cu and Fe can form C–O–Cu and C–O–Fe bonds,and the electrons on carbon can transfer to metal Cu and Fe along the C–O–Fe and C–O–Cu channels,thus forming electron-rich reactive centers around Fe and Cu.This work provides lightful reference for the modification of spinel ferrites in Fenton-like application.

Colloidal Gold Immunochromatographic Assay for Rapid On-Site Detection of Tetracycline in Seawater

Recently increasing concerns from the scientists and public have been paid for seawater pollution due to tetracycline(TC)overuse in maricultural area.However,there are few methods or instruments that can be used for specific and rapid detection of this antibiotic in seawater.In this study,the colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay(CG-ICA)was used to achieve this goal.A commercialized monoclonal antibody against TC(anti-TC mAb)was selected because of its higher sensitivity(half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 2.38μgL^(-1)).The prepared CG particles(average diameter of 20 nm)were used to label anti-TC mAb at pH 8.0.The conjugate pad was formed by spraying the CG-labeled anti-TC mAb on a glass fibre membrane followed by proper dryness.The test pad was made by immobilizing artificial antigen and anti-mouse mAb in the test line and the control line,respectively,in a nitrocellulose membrane.The test strip,assembled with sample pad,conjugate pad,test pad and absorbent pad,could be used to detect TC during seawater sample flowing through these components in turn.The results could be observed by the naked eye in 10min.The visible limit of detection(vLOD)was 20μgL^(-1) for TC in seawater.The CG-ICA test results were in good agreement with those of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS).The assay also showed that,oxytetracycline(OTC)and chlortetracycline(CTC),as the structural analogues of TC,did not interfere with TC determination.Furthermore,the TC concentration given by test strip could not be affected by the fluctuation of temperature(10℃–30℃),pH(7–9)and salinity(0–40)of seawater.Therefore,CG-ICA is a suitable tool for rapid,on-site,and semi-quantitative detection of TC in seawater.

Synthesis of porous carbon nanomaterials and their application in tetracycline removal from aqueous solutions

The low-cost and efficient elimination of tetracycline from wastewater and to decrease the concentration in soils,sediments,rivers,underground water,or lakes are crucial to human health.Herein,threedimensional porous carbon nanomaterials were synthesized using glucose and NH_(4)Cl by sugarblowing process at 900℃ and then oxidized under air atmosphere for surface functional group modification.The prepared 3D porous carbon nanomaterials were applied for the removal of tetracycline from aqueous solutions.The sorption isotherms were well simulated by the Langmuir model,with the calculated sorption capacity of 2378 mg·g^(-1) for C-450 at pH=6.5,which was the highest value of today's reported materials.The porous carbon nanomaterials showed high stability at acidic conditions and selectivity in high salt concentrations.The good recycle ability and high removal efficiency of tetracycline from natural groundwater indicated the potential application of the porous carbon nanomaterials in natural environmental antibiotic pollution cleanup.The outstanding sorption properties were attributed to the structures,surface areas and functional groups,strong interactions such as H-bonding,π-π interaction,electrostatic attraction,etc.This paper highlighted the synthesis of porous carbon nanomaterials with high specific surfaces,high sorption capacities,stability,and reusability in organic chemicals'pollution treatment.

Efficacy and safety of modified tetracycline dosing in a quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori:A retrospective single center study

BACKGROUND Although highly effective as a component of Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)treatment regimen,tetracycline is associated with a high incidence of medicationrelated adverse events.Modified dosing of tetracycline as part of quadruple therapy may improve safety while providing comparable eradication rates.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of modified dosing of tetracycline in patients receiving tetracycline and furazolidone-containing quadruple therapy in patients with H.pylori infection.METHODS Consecutive patients(10/2020-12/2021)who received tetracycline and furazolidone quadruple therapy for H.pylori infection at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital were identified.All patients received tetracycline,furazolidone,proton pump inhibitor,and bismuth for 14 d as primary or rescue therapy.Modified tetracycline dose group received tetracycline 500 mg twice daily while standard group received 750 mg twice daily or 500 mg three times daily.RESULTS Three hundred and ninety-four patients[mean age=46.3±13.9,male=137(34.8%),and 309(78.4%)primary therapy]completed tetracycline and furazolidone quadruple therapy for H.pylori infection including those who received modified tetracycline dose in 157 and standard doses in 118(750 mg twice daily)and 119(500 mg three times daily).Eradication rates in the modified tetracycline dose group were 92.40%and in the standard groups,eradication rates were 93.20%for 750 mg twice daily group and 92.43%for 500 mg three times daily group,respectively,without statistical difference(P=0.959).The incidence of adverse events was lower in the modified tetracycline dose(15.3%vs 32.3%and 29.4%;P=0.002)compared to the standard dose group.CONCLUSION In a real-world experience,modified tetracycline dosing as part of tetracycline and furazolidone quadruple therapy for 14 d demonstrated high efficacy,comparable to standard tetracycline dose regimens,with a favorable safety profile.

Facile one-pot synthesis of a BiOBr/Bi_(2)WO_(6) heterojunction with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity for tetracycline degradation

Photocatalytic removal of tetracycline(TC)from the wastewater is of great value in the chemical and environmental engineering field.Here,we introduced a facile one-step method for the synthesis of BiOBr/Bi2WO6 heterojunctions by using cheap CTAB as the Br source.We showed the possibility of our method to fine-tune the content of BiOBr in the produced BiOBr/Bi2WO6 by simply changing the dosage of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB),providing a platform for the delicate tuning of the visiblelight absorbance ability of the composites.With a suitable heterojunction structure of BiOBr/Bi2WO6-0.2,it exhibited an ultrarapid photocatalytic activity towards TC(20 mg
L^(-1)),with a competitive removal efficiency of 88.1%within 60 min and an ultrahigh removal rate of 0.0349 min^(-1).It could also be robustly recycled for at least 5 cycles with slight removal efficiency loss.We demonstrated that this exciting photocatalytic performance was due to the highly decreased recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes on our composites by constructing this heterojunction structure,and the resulting
OH and
O^(-)_(2)contributed to the effective degradation of TC to CO_(2).

Green remediation of tetracyclines in soil-water systems

The presence of tetracyclines in soil and surface water is an emerging concern. The present study was undertaken to investigate remediation of tetracylines (tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC)) from aqueous solution using vetiver grass, water lettuce, and sunflower and root exudates of water lettuce, sunflower and from soil by tomato, Indian mustard and carrot plant. The data of this study denote that vetiver grass, water lettuce, sunflower remedy tetracyclines from water. The remediation % after 63 days of treatment was 87-61 for TC;88-68 for OTC and 87-68 for CTC. The remediation of tetracyclines at lower concentration of antibiotics in presence of root exudates of water lettuce and sunflower was more than 99% and remediation was faster than water lettuce or sunflower. The remediation of tetracyclines from aqueous solution may be due to oxidation of-OH group(s) of tetracycline through a process that is thought to involve reactive oxygen intermediates and/or role of peroxidase enzyme. The plant crops viz., tomato, Indian mustard and carrot can remedy 41%-72% of amended tetracyclines. The maximum bioaccumulation of TC and CTC was in Indian mustard and OTC was maximally bioaccumulated in tomato.

Preliminary Study on the Treatment Efficiency of Pasteurized Lime Thermal Alkaline Hydrolysis for Excess Activated Sludge and Reduction of Tetracycline Resistance Genes

Thermal alkaline hydrolysis is a common pretreatment method for the utilization of excess activated sludge(EAS).Owing to strict environment laws and need for better energy utilization,new methods were developed in this study to improve the efficiency of pretreatment method.Direct thermal hydrolysis(TH),pasteurized thermal hydrolysis(PTH),and alkaline pasteurized thermal hydrolysis(PTH+CaO and PTH+NaOH)methods were used to treat EAS.Each method was compared and analyzed in terms of dissolution in ammonium nitrogen(NH_(4)^(+)-N)and soluble COD(SCOD)in EAS.Furthermore,the removal of tetracycline resistance genes(TRGs)and class 1 transposon gene intI1 from EAS was investigated.The NH_(4)^(+)-N and SCOD concentrations in EAS treated by PTH were 1.24 and 2.58 times higher than those of TH.However,the removal efficiency of total TRGs and intI1 between the groups was comparable.The SCOD concentration of the PTH+NaOH group was 4.37 times higher than that of the PTH group,and the removal efficiency of total TRGs was increased by 9.52%compared with that by PTH.The NH_(4)^(+)-N and SCOD concentrations of the PTH+CaO group could reach 85.04%and 92.14%of the PTH+NaOH group,but the removal efficiency of total TRGs by PTH+CaO was 19.78%lower than that by PTH+NaOH.Thus,to reduce the financial cost in actual operation,lime(CaO)can be used instead of a strong alkali(NaOH),and pasteurized steam at 70℃ instead of conventional high-temperature heating to treat EAS.This study provides a reference for the development of alkaline hydrolysis under moderate temperatures along with the removal of TRGs in EAS.

Preparation and characterization of ternary magnetic g-C_3N_4 composite photocatalysts for removal of tetracycline under visible light

A stable PNIPAM/Fe_3O_4/g-C_3N_4 composite photocatalyst was designed and prepared by a thermal photoinitiation technology.The structure and properties of the materials were characterized and the composite photocatalyst was found to show good stability for tetracycline degradation.The sample not only retained the magnetic properties of Fe_3O_4,allowing it to be recycled,but its photocatalytic properties could also be changed by controlling the temperature of the reaction system.The degradation intermediate products of tetracycline were further investigated by MS.This work provides a new facile strategy for the development of intelligent and recyclable photocatalytic materials.

Photolysis of chlortetracycline in aqueous solution:Kinetics,toxicity and products

The aqueous photodegradation of the widely used antibiotic chlortetracycline（CTC） was investigated under simulated sunlight.The quantum yield of photodegradation increased from 3.3 × 10-4 to 8.5 × 10-3 within the pH range of 6.0 to 9.0.The presence of Ca2＋,Fe3＋,and NO3-enhanced the photodegradation of CTC,whereas Mg2＋,Mn2＋,and Zn2＋ inhibited the degradation with the order Mn2＋ Zn2＋ Mg2＋ at pH 7.3.The monovalent cations（Na＋ and K＋） had negligible effect on the photolysis of CTC.Fulvic acid（FA） decreased the photodegradation of CTC due to light screening effect.Hydrogen peroxide（H2O2） was formed concurrently with direct photodegradation of CTC.The generation rate of H2O2 increased from 0.027 to 0.086 μmol/（L.min） when the pH ranged from 6.0 to 9.0.The CTC solution was about three-fold more toxic to the Photobacterium phosphoreum bacteria after irradiation,suggesting that the photoproducts and H2O2 formed in the CTC solution exhibited high risk on the bacteria.By LC-ESI（＋）-MS,the photoproducts of CTC were identified.The direct photodegradation of CTC was involved in hydroxylation and N-demethyl/dedismethyl processes.The main photoproducts included the iso-CTC analog containing hydroxyl groups（m/z 511.4 and 495.4）,and the N-demethyl/dedismethyl products of the photoproduct m/z 495.4（m/z 481.3 and 467.4）.In addition,the photochemical dechlorination of CTC led to tetracycline（m/z 445.5）.

Effects of chlortetracycline,Cu and their combination on the performance and microbial community dynamics in swine manure anaerobic digestion

Swine manure was typical for the combined pollution of heavy metals and antibiotics. The effects of widely used veterinary antibiotic chlortetracycline（CTC）, Cu and their combination on swine manure anaerobic digestion performance and microbial community have never been investigated. Thus, four 2 L anaerobic digestion reactors were established including reactor A（control）, B（CTC spiked by 0.5 g/kg dry weight, dw）, C（Cu spiked by 5 g/kg dw） and D（combination of CTC, 0.5 g/kg dw, and Cu, 5 g/kg dw）, and dynamics of bacterial and archaeal community structure was investigated using high throughput sequencing method. Results showed that addition of CTC and Cu separately could increase the total biogas production by21.6% and 15.8%, respectively, while combination of CTC and Cu severely inhibited anaerobic digestion（by 30.3%）. Furthermore, corresponding to different stages and reactors, four kinds of microbes including bacteria and archaea were described in detail, and the effects of CTC, Cu and their combination mainly occurred at hydrolysis and acidification phases. The addition of Cu alone changed the dynamics of archaeal community significantly. It was genus Methanomassiliicoccus that dominated at the active methane production for A, B and D, while it was genus Methanobrevibacter and Methanoculleus for C.

Inhibitive effects of chlortetracycline on performance of the nitritation-anaerobic ammonium oxidation(anammox)process and strategies for recovery

The short-and long-term effects of chlortetracycline（CTC） on the nitritation-anaerobic ammonium oxidation（anammox） process were evaluated. The half maximal inhibitory concentration of CTC in the batch tests of the nitritation-anammox process was 278.91 mg/L at an exposure time of 12 hr. The long-term effects of CTC on the process were examined in a continuous-flow nitritation-anammox reactor. Within 14 days, the nitrogen removal rate significantly decreased from 0.61 to 0.25 kg N/m^3/day with 60 mg/L CTC in the influent.The performance suppressed by CTC barely recovered, even after CTC was removed from the influent. Furthermore, the inhibition of CTC also reduced the relative abundance of ammonium oxidizing bacteria（AOB） and anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria（An AOB）in the reactor, resulting in both a decreased amount of and an imbalance between AOB and An AOB. When fresh anammox sludge was reseeded into the nitritation-anammox reactor,the nitrogen removal rate recovered to 0.09 ± 0.03 kg N/m3/day.

Toxic effects of chlortetracycline on maize growth,reactive oxygen species generation and the antioxidant response

The toxicity of chlortetracycline （CTC） on maize （Zea mays L.） growth and reactive oxygen species （ROS） generation was studied.The root and shoot lengths and fresh weights of maize seedlings were inhibited by CTC treatment （p 〈 0.05）.Root length was more sensitive than other parameters with the EC 10 value of 0.064 mg/L.The spin trapping technique followed by electron paramagnetic resonance （EPR） analysis was used to quantify the ROS production.The ROS generated in maize roots after exposure to CTC was identified as hydroxyl radical （·OH）.The EPR signal intensity correlated positively with the logarithm of CTC concentrations exposed （p 〈 0.05）.The dynamic changes of malondialdehyde （MDA） contents and the antioxidative enzyme activities in maize roots were also determined.As compared to the control group,CTC was found to significantly increase MDA content.Treatment of maize roots with the ·OH scavenger sodium benzoate （SB） reduced the MDA content and enhanced the antioxidative enzyme activities.The results demonstrated the harmfulness of CTC at high dose to maize in the early developmental stage,and clarified that the inducement of ·OH is one of the mechanisms of CTC toxicity.

Macleaya cordata helps improve the growth-promoting effect of chlortetracycline on broiler chickens

Chlortetracycline （CTC）, one kind of common antibiotic for prevention and treatment of various diseases, also exhibits good performance in accelerating the growth of livestock. Macleaya cordata, a traditional Chinese medicine, is usually used as a natural additive in livestock because of its anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and pesticidal activity. In this work, we studied whether M. cordata helps regulate the growth-promoting effect of CTC on broiler chickens. It is demonstrated that M. cordata improves the growth-promoting effect of CTC on growth per- formance indices of broiler chickens, such as survival rate, daily weight, and feed to weight rate. M. cordata also delays the maximum of CTC residues in plasma. It may depend on the higher values of operational taxonomic unit （OTU） and the indices of o diversity driven by simultaneous use of CTC and M. cordata.

Natural capsicum extract replacing chlortetracycline enhances performance via improving digestive enzyme activities,antioxidant capacity,anti-inflammatory function,and gut health in weaned pigs

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of natural capsicum extract(NCE,containing 2%natural capsaicin,the rest is carrier)replacing chlortetracycline(CTC)on performance,digestive enzyme activities,antioxidant capacity,inflammatory cytokines,and gut health in weaned pigs.A total of 108 weaned pigs(Duroc×[Landrace×Yorkshire],initial body weight-8.68±1.34 kg;weaned on d 28)were randomly allotted into 3 treatments with 6 replicate pens per treatment(3 barrows and 3 gilts per pen).The treatments include a corn-soybean meal basal diet as a control group(CON),a CTC group(basal diet+CTC at 75 mg/kg),and a NCE group(basal diet--NEC at 80 mg/kg).Compared with CON and CTC,NCE had increased(P<0.05)average daily gain in phase 2(d 15 to 28)and overall(d 1 to 28),and higher(P<0.05)apparent total tract digestibility of gross energy,dry matter,crude protein,and organic matter in phase 1(d 1 to 14).These pigs also had increased(P<0.05)pancrelipase activity in pancreas,α-amylase,lipase and protease activities in the jejunal mucosa,and lipase activity in the ileal mucosa on d 28.Moreover,NCE had increased(P<0.05)the contents of growth hormone,β-endorphin,5-hydroxytryptamine,total antioxidant capacity,total superoxide dismutase,catalase,and IL-10,as well as decreased(P<0.05)contents of malondialdehyde,tumor nuclear factor-a,interferon-y,and interleukin-6 in serum on d 28 compared with CON and CTC.NCE showed higher(P<0.05)propionic acid,butyric acid and total volatile fatty acids(VFA)contents,and increased(P<0.05)relative abundance of Faecalibacterium in colon,as well as higher(P<0.05)propionic acid and total volatile fatty acids in cecum on d 28 compared with CON.In conclusion,NCE replacing CTC could enhance performance via improving digestive enzyme activities,antioxidant capacity,anti-inflammatory function,gut VFA composition and microbiota community in weaned pigs,and it could be used as a potential target for the development of feed additives.