Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2025, 70(11):480-488

Effects of silymarin supplementation during late gestation on reproductive performance, haematological parameters, antioxidant status, and gut microbiota in sowsOriginal Paper

Guanglei Cong ORCID...1,2, Chunxue Liu1,3, Shuangshuang Xia ORCID...1, Junbo Li ORCID...1, Ifen Hung1
1 Anyou Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd, Taicang, P.R. China
2 College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China
3 College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agriculture University, Nanjing, P.R. China

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of silymarin supplementation during late gestation on reproductive performance, haematological parameters, antioxidant capacity, and gut microbiota composition in sows. Twenty parity-4 crossbred sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were enrolled and randomly allocated in parity blocks to either a control group (CG; n = 10, basal diet) or a silymarin-supplemented group (SIL; n = 10, basal diet + 200 mg/kg silymarin). The experimental period extended from day 85 of gestation to the completion of farrowing. The results demonstrated that dietary silymarin significantly reduced the number of stillbirths (P < 0.05), without exerting a significant effect on the total number and proportion of live-born piglets (P > 0.05). No notable differences were observed in haematological parameters between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, catalase (CAT) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were significantly elevated in the silymarin group (P < 0.05), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed a tendency to increase (P = 0.078). High-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing revealed 1 671 unique feature sequences in the silymarin group and 1 073 in the control group, with 1 600 sequences shared between the two groups. A trend towards increased dominance was observed in the silymarin group (P = 0.082), while both the Shannon and Simpson indices tended to decline (P = 0.087; P = 0.082), suggesting a possible reduction in microbial diversity. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) of β-diversity revealed significant structural differences in gut microbiota between the two groups. SIMPER analysis identified Terrisporobacter as the principal genus contributing to these differences. In conclusion, silymarin supplementation during late gestation may enhance reproductive outcomes in sows, potentially through modulation of gut microbial composition and enhancement of systemic antioxidant status.

Keywords: catalase; oxidative stress; silymarin; sow gut microbiota; stillbirth reduction; Terrisporobacter

Received: June 13, 2025; Accepted: October 30, 2025; Published: November 28, 2025  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Cong G, Liu C, Xia S, Li J, Hung I. Effects of silymarin supplementation during late gestation on reproductive performance, haematological parameters, antioxidant status, and gut microbiota in sows. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2025;70(11):480-488.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Abenavoli L, Scarpellini E, Colica C, Boccuto L, Salehi B, Sharifi-Rad J, Aiello V, Romano B, De Lorenzo A, Izzo AA, Capasso R. Gut microbiota and obesity: A role for probiotics. Nutrients. 2019 Nov 7;11(11):2690. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    2. Berchieri-Ronchi C, Kim S, Zhao Y, Correa C, Yeum KJ, Ferreira A. Oxidative stress status of highly prolific sows during gestation and lactation. Animal. 2011 Nov;5(11):1774-9. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Bouderba S, Sanchez-Martin C, Villanueva GR, Detaille D, Koceir EA. Beneficial effects of silibinin against the progression of metabolic syndrome, increased oxidative stress, and liver steatosis in Psammomys obesus, a relevant animal model of human obesity and diabetes. J Diabetes. 2014 Mar;6(2):184-92. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Cai L, Gao G, Yin CG, Bai R, Li YP, Sun WJ, Pi Y, Jiang XR, Li XL. The effects of dietary silybin supplementation on the growth performance and regulation of intestinal oxidative injury and microflora dysbiosis in weaned piglets. Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Nov 7;12(11):1975. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    5. Chen JL, Li FC, Yang WR, Jiang SZ, Li Y. Comparison of gut microbiota and metabolic status of sows with different litter sizes during pregnancy. Front Vet Sci. 2021 Dec 23;8:793174. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. Choe U, Whent M, Luo Y, Yu L. Total phenolic content, free radical scavenging capacity, and anti-cancer activity of silymarin. JFB. 2020;10:53-63. Go to original source...
    7. Cong GL, Xia SS, Liu CX, Li JB, Hung IF. Effects of guanidine acetic acid supplementation from gestation to lactation on reproductive performance, colostrum quality, blood biochemistry, and intestinal microflora diversity of sows. Front Vet Sci. 2024 Oct 23;11:1476328. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Cong GL, Xia SS, Liu CX, Li JB, Hung IF, Zhang LL, Guo SP, Zhao B. Effects of silymarin supplementation in late pregnancy and lactation on reproductive performance, colostrum quality, blood biochemistry and inflammation levels of sows. Trop Anim Health Prod. 2025 Feb 17;57(2):66. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Detaille D, Sanchez C, Sanz N, Lopez-Novoa JM, Leverve X, El-Mir MY. Interrelation between the inhibition of glycolytic flux by silibinin and the lowering of mitochondrial ROS production in perifused rat hepatocytes. Life Sci. 2008 May 23;82(21-22):1070-6. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Farmer C, Lapointe J, Palin MF. Effects of the plant extract silymarin on prolactin concentrations, mammary gland development, and oxidative stress in gestating gilts. J Anim Sci. 2014 Jul;92(7):2922-30. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. Grela ER, Swiatkiewicz M, Florek M, Wojtaszewska I. Impact of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) seeds in fattener diets on pig performance and carcass traits and fatty acid profile and cholesterol of meat, backfat and liver. Livest Sci. 2020 Sep;239:104180. Go to original source...
    12. Guillemet R, Hamard A, Quesnel H, Pere MC, Etienne M, Dourmad JY, Meunier-Salaun MC. Dietary fibre for gestating sows: Effects on parturition progress, behaviour, litter and sow performance. Animal. 2007 Jul;1(6):872-80. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Gupta S, Agarwal A, Banerjee J, Alvarez JG. The role of oxidative stress in spontaneous abortion and recurrent pregnancy loss: A systematic review. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2007 May;62(5):335-47. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. Hossain MM, Hwang HS, Jang SY, Yu S, Kim IH. Supplemental impact of silymarin in growing pig diet on the growth performance, total tract digestibility, faecal microflora, faecal noxious gas emission and absorption rate in blood. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2024 Jan;108(1):206-14. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. Jiang XJ. [Effects and mechanisms of dietary silymarin on milk performance of sows] [dissertation]. [Chengdu (China)]: Sichuan Agricultural University; 2022. Chinese.
    16. Jiang XJ, Lin S, Lin Y, Fang ZF, Xu SY, Feng B, Zhuo Y, Li J, Che LQ, Jiang XM, Wu D. Effects of silymarin supplementation during transition and lactation on reproductive performance, milk composition and haematological parameters in sows. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2020 Nov;104(6):1896-903. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    17. Jo H, Kim BG. Effects of dietary fiber in gestating sow diets - A review. Anim Biosci. 2023 Nov;36(11):1619-31. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    18. Jung YS, Kim SJ, Kim YS, Choi DW, Kim YC. Alterations in sulfur amino acid metabolism in mice treated with silymarin: A novel mechanism of its action involved in enhancement of the antioxidant defense in liver. Planta Med. 2013 Aug;79(12):997-1002. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    19. Kim SW, Weaver AC, Shen YB, Zhao Y. Improving efficiency of sow productivity: Nutrition and health. J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2013 Jul 26;4(1):26. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    20. Kiruthiga P, Shafreen RB, Pandian SK, Devi KP. Silymarin protection against major reactive oxygen species released by environmental toxins: Exogenous H2O2 exposure in erythrocytes. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2007 Jun;100(6):414-9. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    21. Koo DH, Zhang Q, Sampath V, Kim I. PSIV-10 Effect of micelle silymarin supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiome, gas emissions, blood profile, meat quality, and antioxidant property in finishing pigs. J Anim Sci. 2022 May;100(Suppl_2):150. Go to original source...
    22. Li Q, Yang S, Chen F, Guan W, Zhang S. Nutritional strategies to alleviate oxidative stress in sows. Anim Nutr. 2022 Jun;9:60-73. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    23. Papatsiros VG, Eliopoulos C, Voulgarakis N, Arapoglou D, Riahi I, Sadurni M, Papakonstantinou GI. Effects of a multi-component mycotoxin-detoxifying agent on oxidative stress, health and performance of sows. Toxins (Basel). 2023 Sep 19;15(9):580. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    24. Papatsiros VG, Papakonstantinou GI, Voulgarakis N, Eliopoulos C, Marouda C, Meletis E, Valasi I, Kostoulas P, Arapoglou D, Riahi I, Christodoulopoulos G, Psalla D. Effects of a curcumin/silymarin/yeast-based mycotoxin detoxifier on redox status and growth performance of weaned piglets under field conditions. Toxins (Basel). 2024 Mar 25;16(4):168. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    25. Shen ZH, Zhu CX, Quan YS, Yang ZY, Wu S, Luo WW, Tan B, Wang XY. Relationship between intestinal microbiota and ulcerative colitis: Mechanisms and clinical application of probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation. World J Gastroenterol. 2018 Jan 7;24(1):5-14. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    26. Valentova K, Havlik J, Kosina P, Papouskova B, Jaimes JD, Kanova K, Petraskova L, Ulrichova J, Kren V. Biotransformation of silymarin flavonolignans by human fecal microbiota. Metabolites. 2020 Jan 9;10(1):29. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    27. Veljovic K, Dinic M, Lukic J, Mihajlovic S, Tolinacki M, Zivkovic M, Begovic J, Mrvaljevic I, Golic N, Terzic-Vidojevic A. Promotion of early gut colonization by probiotic intervention on microbiota diversity in pregnant sows. Front Microbiol. 2017 Oct 20;8:2028. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    28. Wei LK, Bai XL, Li R, Yin YL. [Research progress of biological function of silymarin and its application in animal husbandry]. Chinese J Anim Nutr. 2021;33(9):4882-9. Chinese.
    29. Xu J, Niu BY, Zhang YN, Wei HL, Zhang XX, Gao M. [Advances in taxonomy of genus Bacillus]. Soil Fertil Sci China. 2022a;(6):225-37. Chinese.
    30. Xu SY, Jiang XJ, Jia XL, Jiang XM, Che LQ, Lin Y, Zhuo Y, Feng B, Fang ZF, Li J, Wang JP, Ren ZH, Wu D. Silymarin modulates microbiota in the gut to improve the health of sow from late gestation to lactation. Animals (Basel). 2022b Aug 26;12(17):2202. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    31. Zhang QQ, Ahn JM, Kim IH. Micelle silymarin supplementation to sows' diet from day 109 of gestation to entire lactation period enhances reproductive performance and affects serum hormones and metabolites. J Anim Sci. 2021 Dec 1;99(12):skab354. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    32. Zhang Q, Cho S, Kim IH. The effects of micelle silymarin on growth performance, nutrient utilisation, and blood profiles of weaning piglets. J Anim Feed Sci. 2024;33(1):56-63. Go to original source...
    33. Zhao Y, Kim SW. Oxidative stress status and reproductive performance of sows during gestation and lactation under different thermal environments. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci. 2020 May;33(5):722-31. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    34. Zheng H. [The function and molecular mechanism of silymarin on the intestinal bacteria] [dissertation]. [Zibo (China)]: Shandong University of Technology; 2017. Chinese.

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content