Effects of Dietary Baicalin on Growth Performance, Serum Biochemical Parameters, Liver Health, Intestinal Health, and Microbiota of Yellow Catfish (<i>Pelteobagrus fulvidraco</i>).

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of dietary baicalin on the growth and health of yellow catfish (<i>Pelteobagrus fulvidraco</i>). Five diets with the addition of 0 (control), 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg of baicalin were fed to juvenile yellow catfish (11.19 ± 0.07 g) for 56 days. Dietary supplementation with 200 or 400 mg/kg baicalin increased weight gain (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and reduced the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The BA400 group exhibited higher total antioxidant capacity, catalase, superoxide dismutase activity, and lower malondialdehyde level in the liver and intestine than the control (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In the 400 mg/kg baicalin group, the hepatic vacuolization rate was lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and the intestinal villus width and villus height were higher than those in the control (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In terms of intestinal microbiota composition, the 400 mg/kg baicalin group demonstrated lower abundances of <i>Proteobacteria</i> and <i>Actinobacteria</i> (phylum level) and <i>Cetobacterium</i>, <i>Candidatus_Arthromitus</i>, and <i>Plesiomonas</i> (genus level) than the control (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while the relative abundances of <i>Fusobacteriota</i> and <i>Lactobacillus</i> (ZOR0006) increased in this group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary baicalin supplementation significantly improved the growth, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal morphology and positively modulated the intestinal microbiota composition of yellow catfish. The optimal dietary supplementation level of baicalin is 400 mg/kg for yellow catfish.