{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T21:10:25Z","timestamp":1786741825049,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,18]],"date-time":"2026-02-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771372800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    This study aimed to explore the impact of dietary berberine hydrochloride (BBH) on 600 one-day-old AA+ broilers. The broilers were randomly allocated into five groups: a control group (TR) and four experimental groups supplemented with 25, 50, 100, or 200\u202fmg\/kg of BBH (designated as Ber25, Ber50, Ber100, and Ber200, respectively). The 42-day experiment consisted of six replicates per group. The results indicated that from 1 to 21\u202fdays of age, BBH had no significant influence on growth parameters such as body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). However, during 22\u201342\u202fdays and 1\u201342\u202fdays, 50-mg\/kg BBH (Ber50) significantly increased BWG and FI, showing a quadratic effect. BBH linearly enhanced the spleen and bursa indices, with the spleen index in the Ber200 group higher than that in the Ber25 group. In 42-day-old broilers, the Ber200 group had the highest levels of antibodies against Newcastle disease and avian influenza H9, presenting both linear and quadratic effects. The Ber100 treatment maximized the pectoralis CIE\n                    <jats:italic>L<\/jats:italic>\n                    * value, and the Ber200 treatment increased the shear force. BBH decreased fecal\n                    <jats:italic>Salmonella<\/jats:italic>\n                    counts, demonstrating linear and quadratic effects, and it had a linear impact on\n                    <jats:italic>Lactobacillus<\/jats:italic>\n                    counts, although no inter-group differences were observed. In conclusion, 50\u202fmg\/kg of BBH improved broiler growth performance, while higher doses such as 200\u202fmg\/kg enhanced immunity, reduced\n                    <jats:italic>Salmonella<\/jats:italic>\n                    levels, but also increased meat shear force.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2026.1766777","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,18]],"date-time":"2026-02-18T05:33:37Z","timestamp":1771392817000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Effects of dietary berberine hydrochloride on growth, immunity, meat quality, and fecal microbiota in broiler chickens"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Juan","family":"Chen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Health & Medical Sciences College, Yantai Nanshan University","place":["Yantai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Changxu","family":"Lv","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical and Health Care, Shandong Cultural Industry Vocational College","place":["Qingdao, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mingyang","family":"Tan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Health & Medical Sciences College, Yantai Nanshan University","place":["Yantai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Desheng","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Jinzhou Medical University","place":["Jinzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhaoquan","family":"Fu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Health & Medical Sciences College, Yantai Nanshan University","place":["Yantai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yaping","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Health & Medical Sciences College, Yantai Nanshan University","place":["Yantai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qiangqiang","family":"Zou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Health & Medical Sciences College, Yantai Nanshan University","place":["Yantai, China"]},{"name":"College of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Jinzhou Medical University","place":["Jinzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"170","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aninu.2018.03.002","article-title":"Use of antibiotics in broiler production: global impacts and alternatives","volume":"4","author":"Mehdi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Anim Nutr."},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"662","DOI":"10.14202\/vetworld.2022.662-671","article-title":"The public health issue of antibiotic residues in food and feed: causes, consequences, and potential solutions","volume":"15","author":"Ars\u00e8ne","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vet World"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"127006","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2020.127006","article-title":"Antibiotics in animal manure and manure-based fertilizers: occurrence and ecological risk assessment","volume":"255","author":"Zhou","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"18633","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-68138-8","article-title":"Herbal extract dietary supplementation effect on growth performance and meat quality in broiler raised under two stocking densities","volume":"14","author":"Obeidat","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"808","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15060808","article-title":"Effects of olive pomace and spice extracts on performance and antioxidant function in broiler chickens","volume":"15","author":"Sevillano","year":"2025","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"112422","DOI":"10.1016\/j.intimp.2024.112422","article-title":"Berberine, a natural alkaloid: advances in its pharmacological effects and mechanisms in the treatment of autoimmune diseases","volume":"137","author":"Qin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int Immunopharmacol"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1536143","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2025.1536143","article-title":"Berberine hydrochloride enhances innate immunity to protect against pathogen infection via p38 MAPK pathway","volume":"16","author":"Xiao","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104151","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2024.104151","article-title":"The synergy effect of matrine and berberine hydrochloride on treating colibacillosis caused by an avian highly pathogenic multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli","volume":"103","author":"Meng","year":"2024","journal-title":"Poult Sci"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1007\/s11655-023-3547-x","article-title":"Berberine enhances intestinal mucosal barrier function by promoting vitamin D receptor activity","volume":"30","author":"Huang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Chin J Integr Med"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"13573","DOI":"10.1111\/jcmm.16049","article-title":"Anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory impacts of berberine on activation of autoreactive T cells in autoimmune inflammation","volume":"24","author":"Ehteshamfar","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Cell Mol Med"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1016\/j.metabol.2017.02.003","article-title":"Berberine-induced bioactive metabolites of the gut microbiota improve energy metabolism","volume":"70","author":"Wang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Metabolism"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105015","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2025.105015","article-title":"Chinese herbal medicine improves antioxidant capacity of chicken liver at high stocking density involved gut-liver microbiota axis based on multi-omics technologies","volume":"104","author":"Pan","year":"2025","journal-title":"Poult Sci"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1281090","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2023.1281090","article-title":"Berberine-microbiota interplay: orchestrating gut health through modulation of the gut microbiota and metabolic transformation into bioactive metabolites","volume":"14","author":"Dehau","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Pharmacol"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1458579","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2024.1458579","article-title":"Therapeutic effects and mechanisms of berberine on enteritis caused by Salmonella in poultry","volume":"15","author":"Yang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Microbiol"},{"key":"ref15","volume-title":"Nutrient requirements of poultry","year":"1994"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"630809","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2021.630809","article-title":"Discrepancy between in-clinic and haemagglutination-inhibition tests in detecting maternally-derived antibodies against canine parvovirus in puppies","volume":"8","author":"Dall'Ara","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"111046","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodres.2022.111046","article-title":"Effect of an animal-friendly raising environment on the quality, storage stability, and metabolomic profiles of chicken thigh meat","volume":"155","author":"Lee","year":"2022","journal-title":"Food Res Int"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.livsci.2020.104160","article-title":"Effects of a root extract from Achyranthes japonica Nakai on the growth performance, blood profile, fecal microbial community, fecal gas emission, and meat quality of finishing pigs","volume":"239","author":"Dang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Livest Sci"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102714","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2023.102714","article-title":"Effects of dietary polyherbal mixtures on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function and jejunal health of yellow-feathered broilers","volume":"102","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Poult Sci"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2450","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15162450","article-title":"A low dose of berberine is metabolized in weaned piglets without major changes to gut morphology or gut microbiota","volume":"15","author":"Mouchtoglou","year":"2025","journal-title":"Animals (Basel)"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2795","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11102795","article-title":"Nutrition and digestive physiology of the broiler chick: state of the art and outlook","volume":"11","author":"Ravindran","year":"2021","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpha.2021.10.003","article-title":"Interactions between gut microbiota and berberine, a necessary procedure to understand the mechanisms of berberine","volume":"12","author":"Cheng","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Pharm Anal"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"516","DOI":"10.22038\/IJBMS.2017.8676","article-title":"Toxicology effects of Berberis vulgaris (barberry) and its active constituent, berberine: a review","volume":"20","author":"Rad","year":"2017","journal-title":"Iran J Basic Med Sci"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"244","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aninu.2024.01.012","article-title":"Phytogenic feed additives as natural antibiotic alternatives in animal health and production: a review of the literature of the last decade","volume":"17","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Anim Nutr"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1229","DOI":"10.1111\/asj.13255","article-title":"Effects of berberine on the growth performance, antioxidative capacity and immune response to lipopolysaccharide challenge in broilers","volume":"90","author":"Yang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Anim Sci J"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1411332","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2024.1411332","article-title":"Oxidative stress and plasma ceramides in broiler chickens","volume":"15","author":"Klandorf","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Physiol"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"762","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aninu.2021.01.005","article-title":"Dietary supplementation with acidifiers improves the growth performance, meat quality and intestinal health of broiler chickens","volume":"7","author":"Gao","year":"2021","journal-title":"Anim Nutr"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e13597","DOI":"10.1111\/asj.13597","article-title":"Myogenetic oligodeoxynucleotide complexed with berberine promotes differentiation of chicken myoblasts","volume":"92","author":"Nihashi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Anim Sci J"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1034","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2020.10.071","article-title":"Dietary supplementation with berberine improves growth performance and modulates the composition and function of cecal microbiota in yellow-feathered broilers","volume":"100","author":"Zhu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Poult Sci"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1643409","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2025.1643409","article-title":"Berberine and its nanoformulations and extracts: potential strategies and future perspectives against multi-drug resistant bacterial infections","volume":"16","author":"Yang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Microbiol"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"157030","DOI":"10.1016\/j.phymed.2025.157030","article-title":"Multiple target and regulatory pathways of berberine","volume":"146","author":"Zhou","year":"2025","journal-title":"Phytomedicine"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Veterinary Science"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2026.1766777\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,18]],"date-time":"2026-02-18T05:33:37Z","timestamp":1771392817000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2026.1766777\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,18]]},"references-count":31,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fvets.2026.1766777"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fvets.2026.1766777","relation":{},"ISSN":["2297-1769"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2297-1769","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,18]]},"article-number":"1766777"}}