Anti-Diarrheal Effects of a Combination of Korean Traditional Herbal Extracts and Dioctahedral Smectite on Piglet Diarrhea Caused by Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium

Abstract

The present study evaluated anti-diarrheal effects of a mixture of Coptidis rhizoma, Lonicerae flos, and Paeonia japonica (1:1:1, v/v/v) methanol extracts and dioctahedral smectite (CLPD) on piglet diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium). Diarrhea index of group 1 administered by 0.5% CLPD mixed with feed, decreased with the passage of time and was insignificantly differed compared to that of control. In group 2 administered by 1.0% CLPD mixed with feed, diarrhea index was significantly decreased compared to that of control and group I during overall experimental periods (P<0.05). After administration of CLPD mixed with feed, the number of E. coli and S. typhimurium in piglet feces of group 1 except for the 1st day was significantly decreased compared to that of the control group (P<0.05), and the number of E. coli and S. typhimurium in piglet feces of group 2 except for the 1st day was significantly decreased compared to that of the control group and group I (P<0.05). This study showed that CLPD had anti-diarrheal effect on E. coli and S. typhimurium causing diarrhea in piglets. CLPD could be an effective candidate for the treatment of enteric bacterial infections in piglets. (C) 2011 PVJ. All rights reserved