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Dietary thymol supplementation promotes skeletal muscle fibre type switch in longissimus dorsi of finishing pigs
Author(s) -
Luo Pei,
Luo Lv,
Zhao Weijie,
Wang Leshan,
Sun Lijuan,
Wu Hanyu,
Li Yongxiang,
Zhang Ruixue,
Shu Gang,
Wang Songbo,
Gao Ping,
Zhu Xiaotong,
Xi Qianyun,
Zhang Yongliang,
Wang Lina,
Jiang Qingyan
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/jpn.13269
Subject(s) - myosin , skeletal muscle , oxidative phosphorylation , longissimus dorsi , metabolism , thymol , biology , medicine , chemistry , endocrinology , food science , zoology , biochemistry , essential oil
As one of the key points related to meat quality, skeletal muscle fibre type is determined by energy metabolism and genetic factors, but its transformation could be also greatly influenced by many factors. Thymol, the primary effective ingredients of thyme, is well known for its anti‐oxidation and anti‐inflammatory, while little is known about its effect on skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism and fibre type switch. Therefore, in order to investigate its effects and possibility to be applied in livestock production, 36 150‐day‐old fattening Pigs were fed with different diet for six‐week experiment. As a result, the drip loss ratio of longissimus dorsi (LD) was significantly reduced ( p < .05). Oxidative metabolism‐related enzyme activity, the mRNA levels and protein expression of COX5B and PGC1α, mRNA level of myosin heavy chain I (MyHC I) and protein level of MyHC IIa were significantly upregulated ( p < .05). While compared with control group, the protein expression of MyHC IIb was significantly decreased ( p < .05). The result revealed that thymol could promote the oxidative metabolism in the muscle of pigs and improve the meat quality to a certain extent.