Ruminants 
Poultry 
Swine 
Fishes / aquaculture
Pet
Background & Objectives
Heat stress (HS) is a major challenge in animal production, with rising global temperatures increasing its economic and welfare impact. At the intestinal level, HS disrupts epithelial barrier integrity, increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and promotes cell death, ultimately impairing nutrient absorption and immune function. Dietary strategies capable of protecting intestinal cells from HS-induced damage are therefore of practical relevance for both swine and poultry production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of AviPlus®, a blend of botanicals and organic acids (AP), against HS-induced viability loss and oxidative stress, using three intestinal cell lines: human Caco-2, porcine IPEC-J2, and avian cIEC-H2.
Material & Methods
Cell viability was assessed under two experimental designs. In the concurrent treatment design, AP was added at HS onset (42°C, 24h) and maintained for 6 days, to evaluate both protection during and recovery after the challenge. In the pre-treatment design, cells received AP for 6 days before HS exposure (42°C, 24h), with viability recorded at day 8. AP was used at a final concentration of 1000 ppm. Viability was measured with PrestoBlue® (Thermo Fisher Scientific). For ROS assessment, cells were pre-treated for 6 days and then exposed to HS for 4h at 42°C. ROS were quantified with CellROX® (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Viability data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (time × treatment) and ROS by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test.
Results
In the concurrent treatment design, HS reduced viability to 49% (cIEC-H2) and 45% (IPEC-J2) of thermoneutral control by day 6. AP significantly limited this drop (cIEC-H2 76%, IPEC-J2 90%; p<0.05 vs HS control). In Caco-2, HS reduced viability to 83% at 24h, while AP-treated cells maintained 89% and subsequently recovered beyond thermoneutral levels (>110%) by day 6. In the pre-treatment design, AP improved post-challenge viability across all three cell lines: IPEC-J2 102% vs 81% (HS control), cIEC-H2 90% vs 80%, Caco-2 88% vs 81% (all p<0.05). HS significantly increased ROS levels compared to thermoneutral control across all three cell models: +28% in Caco-2 and cIEC-H2, +82% in IPEC-J2. AP reduced HS-induced ROS by approximately 13% in Caco-2, 15% in cIEC-H2, and 22% in IPEC-J2 (all p<0.05 vs HS control). In Caco-2 and cIEC-H2 this corresponded to a full restoration of thermoneutral levels, while in IPEC-J2 the reduction was significant but partial.
Discussion & Conclusion
AviPlus® consistently reduced HS-induced viability loss and oxidative stress across all three intestinal cell models. The protective effect was observed under both concurrent and preventive administration, suggesting that the blend may exert its action through multiple mechanisms. The consistent response across species supports its potential as a nutritional strategy to maintain intestinal health and animal performance under heat stress conditions in swine and poultry production.