1. What is Eucommia Leaf Extract?

Eucommia ulmoides is a perennial deciduous tree plant belonging to the genus Eucommia ulmoides in the family Eucommia. It is a unique economic tree in our country. It is only one genus and extremely rare. It is unique to our country and is listed as the national second-class protected plant. As early as 200 BC, Eucommia ulmoides was listed as the top grade in the "Shen Nong's Materia Medica" in the Western Han Dynasty, and it clearly records the efficacy of Eucommia ulmoides: it contains 17 kinds of amino acids and 15 kinds of trace elements. Eucommia ulmoides (leaf) has many magical effects such as nourishing liver and kidney, strengthening muscles and bones, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and sterilizing, soothing and calming. In recent years, it has been valued in the animal breeding industry and feed industry because of its versatility, naturalness and environmental protection.

In previous studies of Chinese herbal medicine feed additives, some scholars have used Eucommia ulmoides or Eucommia ulmoides leaves as feed additives for livestock and poultry (aquifers), and they have obtained good results. They have found that they can promote growth, improve disease resistance and animal immune response levels, and improve meat quality. , Improve the flavor, promote bone growth, and relatively improve the animal's exercise capacity and other effects. In addition, as a new type of feed additive, Eucommia ulmoides extract is safe and reliable, has no residues, and has no toxic side effects. There are three most valuable ingredients in Eucommia leaves: Eucommia chlorogenic acid, Eucommia polysaccharides, Eucommia flavonoids, which are also unique natural and effective bioactive ingredients. Researchers have conducted a series of studies on its active ingredients, pharmacological effects and improving the production performance of livestock and poultry (aquatic products).

2. The effect of Eucommia leaf extract on the growth of cultured fish

At present, reports on the production performance of Eucommia ulmoides used in farmed animals include carp, tilapia, grass carp, allogynogenetic crucian carp, eel, etc.

Studies have shown that adding 4.6% eucommia leaf powder to the feed can increase the weight gain of carp from 102.5% to 119.0% and 124.0%; adding 0.15% eucommia leaf extract to the feed can increase grass carp juveniles The weight gain rate was 8.57% and the growth rate of tilapia was increased by 29.7%. Adding 0.15% eucommia leaf extract to the feed increased the weight gain rate of allogynogenetic crucian carp by 12.9%, feed efficiency by 15.8%, and protein efficiency by 11.6%, and significantly reduced the feed coefficient.

The above research shows that adding an appropriate proportion of Eucommia ulmoides leaf extract in the feed can make the fish eat quickly, have a strong appetite, have a certain attracting effect, accelerate the growth of the fish, and improve the growth performance of the fish.

3. Analysis of the reasons why Eucommia leaf extract improves the growth performance of fish

Eucommia ulmoides flavonoids in the extract of Eucommia ulmoides leaves bind to estrogen receptors in the animal body, and stimulate the hypothalamus to release growth hormone releasing hormone, which acts on the anterior pituitary gland to stimulate its production of growth hormone and promote the growth of animals. At the same time, the pituitary gland produces growth hormone binding protein to act on the liver, prompting the liver to produce insulin; the pituitary gland produces thyroid-stimulating hormone, which stimulates the secretion of thyroxine. Insulin, thyroxine and growth hormone work together to promote the growth of animal bones.

In addition, a large number of experiments have shown that the increase in nutrient digestibility is the direct cause of Eucommia leaf extract to promote the growth of farmed animals, and an important reason for improving the digestion and utilization of nutrients is the increase in intestinal digestive enzyme activity. Eucommia polysaccharides in Eucommia ulmoides leaf extract can promote the growth and increase of intestinal bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria, regulate the microecological balance of animal intestines, inhibit the growth of pathogens, prevent gastrointestinal diseases, promote digestion and absorption of nutrients, and improve feed utilization rate.

Therefore, Eucommia ulmoides leaf extract significantly improves the intestinal protease activity, thereby increasing the protein digestibility, and then improving the growth performance of fish.

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