Dietary dihydroartemisinin supplementation improves growth, intestinal digestive function and nutrient transporters in weaned piglets with intrauterine growth retardation

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to (1) investigate the effects of different doses of dihydroartemisinin (DiHA) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum biochemistry, antioxidant and immune function in weaned piglets and determine the optimal dose of DiHA and (2) investigate the effects of DiHA on growth, intestinal digestive function and nutrient transporters in weaned piglets with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). In experiment 1, a total of 360 21-day-old weaned piglets were randomly allocated into six dietary treatments, including control group (basal diet), DiHA 20, DiHA 40, DiHA 80, DiHA 160 and DiHA 320 groups (basal diet supplemented with 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 mg/kg DiHA, respectively). At 42 days of age, a digestibility trial was conducted for 7 days. At 49 days of age, the growth performance, serum biochemistry, antioxidant and immune function were measured. The results showed that DiHA at the dose of 80 mg/kg significantly improved (P