{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T12:41:33Z","timestamp":1786365693750,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]],"date-time":"2026-07-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783468800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Hubei Province\u2019s Major Special Projects for the Development of the Agricultural Microbiology Industry","award":["NYWSWZX2025-2027-04"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NYWSWZX2025-2027-04"]}]},{"name":"China Agriculture Research System","award":["CARS-41"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CARS-41"]}]},{"award":["CARS-41"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CARS-41"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03p5eky76","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Hubei Province Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System-Poultry Egg Industry Technology System","award":["2025HBSTX4-04"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2025HBSTX4-04"]}]},{"name":"2024 Annual Science and Technology Instructors Program in Wuhan City","award":["2024111203060843"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2024111203060843"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Physiological function is closely linked to production performance in laying hens, especially during the late laying phase. Rehmanniae Radix powder (RRP), derived from the root of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch., exhibits diverse biological activities. We investigated the effects of RRP on immune function in late-phase laying hens. Antioxidant capacity, serum biochemical parameters, splenic immune function, and intestinal health were evaluated. Egg production rate in the RRP group increased by 1.39 percentage points compared with the control group, while average egg weight was not significantly different between groups. Dietary RRP supplementation elevated superoxide dismutase activity and serum albumin level. Splenic expression of immune-related factors, including J-chain, interleukin-2, and caspase-3, was upregulated to varying degrees following RRP supplementation. Helper-to-cytotoxic T-cell ratio also increased, indicating enhanced immune regulation. Intestinal tight junction protein expression was significantly upregulated in the RRP group. RRP also altered relative abundance of intestinal microbes at phylum and genus levels, decreasing Actinobacteria abundance and increasing Bacteroidota abundance. Similarly, relative abundance of Bacteroides and noank_f_norank_o_Clostridia_UG-014 was elevated. Biological function of the microbial community predictions showed that glycolysis\/gluconeogenesis, alanine\/aspartate\/glutamate, fatty acid biosynthesis, and metabolism were upregulated, while that of the quorum-sensing pathway declined. RRP supplementation improved antioxidant status, splenic immune function, and intestinal health, thereby enhancing physiological conditions in laying hens during the late laying phase.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani16142122","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]],"date-time":"2026-07-08T15:40:09Z","timestamp":1783525209000},"page":"2122","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Rehmanniae Radix Powder Enhances Antioxidative Capacity, Immunity, and Gut Health in Late-Phase Laying Hens"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Yunqing","family":"Guo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control Agents for Animal Bacteriosis (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Pathogenic Microbiology, Institute of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Botao","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control Agents for Animal Bacteriosis (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Pathogenic Microbiology, Institute of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qingping","family":"Luo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control Agents for Animal Bacteriosis (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Pathogenic Microbiology, Institute of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China"},{"name":"Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101478","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2021.101478","article-title":"Age-related changes in liver metabolism and antioxidant capacity of laying hens","volume":"100","author":"Gu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104894","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2025.104894","article-title":"Enhancing gut-ovary health in aged laying hens: The impact of dietary betaine supplementation","volume":"104","author":"Du","year":"2025","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7022","DOI":"10.3382\/ps\/pez367","article-title":"Genistein improves the reproductive performance and bone status of breeder hens during the late egg-laying period","volume":"98","author":"Lv","year":"2019","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1080\/00071668.2016.1161727","article-title":"Increasing persistency in lay and stabilising egg quality in longer laying cycles. What are the challenges?","volume":"57","author":"Bain","year":"2016","journal-title":"Br. Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"150","DOI":"10.1186\/s13020-024-01022-9","article-title":"The role of Chinese herbal medicine in the regulation of oxidative stress in treating hypertension: From therapeutics to mechanisms","volume":"19","author":"Jin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Chin. Med."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, X., Yuan, Q., Xiao, Y., Cai, X., Yang, Z., Zeng, W., Mi, Y., and Zhang, C. (2024). Pterostilbene, a Resveratrol Derivative, Improves Ovary Function by Upregulating Antioxidant Defenses in the Aging Chickens via Increased SIRT1\/Nrf2 Expression. Antioxidants, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/antiox13080935"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biocel.2006.07.001","article-title":"Free radicals and antioxidants in normal physiological functions and human disease","volume":"39","author":"Valko","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"631","DOI":"10.1007\/s00018-012-1070-x","article-title":"Regulation of intestinal epithelial permeability by tight junctions","volume":"70","author":"Suzuki","year":"2013","journal-title":"Cell. Mol. Life Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100949","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2020.12.046","article-title":"A comparison of intestinal integrity, digestive function, and egg quality in laying hens with different ages","volume":"100","author":"Gu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Heinemann, U., and Schuetz, A. (2019). Structural Features of Tight-Junction Proteins. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 20.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms20236020"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"716","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chom.2018.05.003","article-title":"Gut Microbiota Regulation of Tryptophan Metabolism in Health and Disease","volume":"23","author":"Agus","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cell Host Microbe"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"54","DOI":"10.2174\/1389200219666180523102920","article-title":"Application of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine By-products as Dietary Feed Supplements and Antibiotic Replacements in Animal Production","volume":"20","author":"Abdallah","year":"2019","journal-title":"Curr. Drug Metab."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhong, H.Z., Mo, J., Li, Y.X., Li, M.Y., and Wei, S.B. (2024). Changes in Rehmanniae Radix processing and their impact on ovarian hypofunction: Potential mechanisms of action. Front. Pharmacol., 15.","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2024.1426972"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105725","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2025.105725","article-title":"A native probiotic strain Enterococcus faecalis TMBC 10513 alleviates avian pathogenic Escherichia coli-induced growth impairment and intestinal disruptions in yellow-feathered broilers at the early stage of infection","volume":"104","author":"Ling","year":"2025","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, Y., Chen, G., Zhou, Z., Zhao, W., Wong, S.K., Wang, Y., and Chin, K.Y. (2025). Male Osteoporosis: A Comprehensive Review of Treatment Approaches in Modern Pharmacotherapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine Interventions. Endocr. Metab. Immune Disord. Drug Targets, 26.","DOI":"10.2174\/0118715303206506250404180458"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5673","DOI":"10.2147\/JIR.S506444","article-title":"Xijiao Dihuang Decoction for Sepsis-Induced Acute Lung Injury: Network Pharmacology and Molecular Dynamics Insights","volume":"18","author":"Xu","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Inflamm. Res."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1186\/s13048-025-01689-0","article-title":"Mechanism study on the regulation of autophagy and oxidative stress through SIRT1\/PI3K\/AKT pathway by Liuwei Dihuang pill to improve ovarian function","volume":"18","author":"Zhong","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Ovarian Res."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"194","article-title":"Effects of a herbal complex against Eimeria tenella infection in chickens","volume":"51","author":"Du","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Vet. Med. B Public Health"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103150","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2023.103150","article-title":"Effects of dietary incorporation of Radix rehmanniae praeparata polysaccharide on growth performance, digestive physiology, blood metabolites, meat quality, and tibia characteristics in broiler chickens","volume":"102","author":"Yang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1915","DOI":"10.1083\/jcb.201708007","article-title":"Superoxide dismutases: Dual roles in controlling ROS damage and regulating ROS signaling","volume":"217","author":"Wang","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Cell Biol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12518","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-025-97101-4","article-title":"Effects of exercise on different antioxidant enzymes and related indicators: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","volume":"15","author":"Xie","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1007\/s00442-003-1409-y","article-title":"On the use of spleen mass as a measure of avian immune system strength","volume":"138","author":"Smith","year":"2004","journal-title":"Oecologia"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2388","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.1601725","article-title":"Aiolos Overexpression in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus B Cell Subtypes and BAFF-Induced Memory B Cell Differentiation Are Reduced by CC-220 Modulation of Cereblon Activity","volume":"199","author":"Nakayama","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103751","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ebiom.2021.103751","article-title":"MUC2 and related bacterial factors: Therapeutic targets for ulcerative colitis","volume":"74","author":"Yao","year":"2021","journal-title":"EBioMedicine"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"741","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cell.2006.06.043","article-title":"ZO-1 and ZO-2 independently determine where claudins are polymerized in tight-junction strand formation","volume":"126","author":"Umeda","year":"2006","journal-title":"Cell"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1111\/nyas.14798","article-title":"Tight junction proteins occludin and ZO-1 as regulators of epithelial proliferation and survival","volume":"1514","author":"Kuo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"800","DOI":"10.1111\/apt.14280","article-title":"Review article: The human intestinal virome in health and disease","volume":"46","author":"Carding","year":"2017","journal-title":"Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Videnska, P., Sedlar, K., Lukac, M., Faldynova, M., Gerzova, L., Cejkova, D., Sisak, F., and Rychlik, I. (2014). Succession and replacement of bacterial populations in the caecum of egg laying hens over their whole life. PLoS ONE, 9.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0115142"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xu, H., Lu, Y., Li, D., Yan, C., Jiang, Y., Hu, Z., Zhang, Z., Du, R., Zhao, X., and Zhang, Y. (2023). Probiotic mediated intestinal microbiota and improved performance, egg quality and ovarian immune function of laying hens at different laying stage. Front. Microbiol., 14.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2023.1041072"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"178265","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejphar.2025.178265","article-title":"The gut microbe Bacteroides acidifaciens ameliorates CCl4-induced liver fibrosis","volume":"1007","author":"Ye","year":"2025","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.5114\/biolsport.2025.148545","article-title":"Can physical exercise modify intestinal integrity and gut microbiota composition? A systematic review of in vivo studies","volume":"42","author":"Pereira","year":"2025","journal-title":"Biol. Sport."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1186\/s40104-023-00904-6","article-title":"Rosemary extract improves egg quality by altering gut barrier function, intestinal microbiota and oviductal gene expressions in late-phase laying hens","volume":"14","author":"Zhang","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1461","DOI":"10.5713\/ab.21.0562","article-title":"Microbial short-chain fatty acids: A bridge between dietary fibers and poultry gut health\u2014A review","volume":"35","author":"Ali","year":"2022","journal-title":"Anim. Biosci."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13424","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-019-49462-w","article-title":"Discrepant gut microbiota markers for the classification of obesity-related metabolic abnormalities","volume":"9","author":"Zeng","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3502","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-47594-w","article-title":"The gut commensal Blautia maintains colonic mucus function under low-fiber consumption through secretion of short-chain fatty acids","volume":"15","author":"Holmberg","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"745","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcmgh.2024.01.010","article-title":"Gut Bacteria-derived Membrane Vesicles Induce Colonic Dysplasia by Inducing DNA Damage in Colon Epithelial Cells","volume":"17","author":"Miyakawa","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cell Mol. Gastroenterol. Hepatol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106369","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psj.2025.106369","article-title":"Gut microbiota dysbiosis and predicted metabolic functional shifts associated with fowl typhoid in layer hens","volume":"105","author":"Do","year":"2026","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Deryabin, D.G., Kosyan, D.B., Inchagova, K.S., and Duskaev, G.K. (2023). Plant-Derived Quorum Sensing Inhibitors (Quercetin, Vanillin and Umbelliferon) Modulate Cecal Microbiome, Reduces Inflammation and Affect Production Efficiency in Broiler Chickens. Microorganisms, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms11051326"}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/14\/2122\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]],"date-time":"2026-07-08T16:01:18Z","timestamp":1783526478000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/14\/2122"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]]},"references-count":38,"journal-issue":{"issue":"14","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]}},"alternative-id":["ani16142122"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani16142122","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]]}}}