Oral administration of L‐citrulline changes the concentrations of plasma hormones and biochemical profile in heat‐exposed broilers

Vishwajit S. Chowdhury
Yoshimitsu Ouchi
Guofeng Han
Hatem M. Eltahan
Shogo Haraguchi
Takuro Miyazaki
Jun‐ichi Shiraishi
Toshihisa Sugino
Takashi Bungo

We examined the effects of oral administration of L-citrulline (L-Cit) on plasma metabolic hormones and biochemical profile in broilers. Food intake, water intake, and body temperature were also analyzed. After dual oral administration (20 mmol/head/administration) of L-Cit, broilers were exposed to a high ambient temperature (HT; 30 ± 1°C) chamber for 120 min. Oral administration of L-Cit reduced (p < .001) rectal temperature in broilers. Food intake was increased (p < .05) by heat stress, but it was reduced (p < .05) by L-Cit. Plasma levels of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine, which initially increased (p < .0001) due to heat stress, were reduced (p < .01) by oral administration of L-Cit. Plasma insulin levels were increased by heat exposure (p < .01) and oral L-Cit (p < .05). Heat stress caused a decline (p < .05) in plasma thyroxine. Plasma lactic acid (p < .05) and non-esterified fatty acids (p < .01) were increased in L-Cit-treated heat-exposed broilers. In conclusion, our results suggest that oral L-Cit can modulate plasma concentrations of major metabolic hormones and reduces food intake in broilers.

Animal Science Journal

Wiley

92

1

e13578

10.1111/asj.13578

https://doi.org/10.1111/asj.13578
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34235825
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/asj.13578
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/asj.13578