In Vitro Screening of East Asian Plant Extracts for Potential Use in Reducing Ruminal Methane Production
Abstract
Simple Summary Methane from ruminants is a major contributor to total greenhouse gases. Therefore, ruminant nutritionists have proposed strategies to mitigate methane emissions, such as chemical inhibitors and ionophores. However, dietary manipulation including natural feed additives is more practical, considering consumer preferences. Therefore, the current experiment screened 137 plant species, indigenous to East Asian countries, to select novel anti-methanogenic candidates as natural feed additives. Among these species, an extract from the seeds of Pharbitis nil exhibited a maximum 37% reduction of methane in a conformation assay. Identification of active compounds present in the seeds of Pharbitis nil revealed enrichment of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which were dominated by linoleic acid (18:2). The extract had negative effects on the populations of ciliated protozoa and H2-producing Ruminococcus flavefaciens, thereby increasing the proportion of propionate, similar to the effect of monensin. This is the first report to suggest that the seeds of P. nil could be a promising anti-methanogenic alternative to ionophores or oil seeds. Abstract Indiscriminate use of antibiotics can result in antibiotic residues in animal products; thus, plant compounds may be better alternative sources for mitigating methane (CH4) production. An in vitro screening experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential application of 152 dry methanolic or ethanolic extracts from 137 plant species…
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