Comparative Analysis of Major Flavonoids among Parts of Lactuca indica during Different Growth Periods.

L. indica L. cv. Mengzao, a medicinal plant of the Ixeris genus, is rich in flavonoids. In order to thoroughly analyze the the distribution and dynamic change of major flavonoids in its various parts from different growth periods, the flavonoids extracted from L. indica L. cv. Mengzao were identified and quantitatively analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). Results indicated that 15 flavonoids were identified from L. indica L. cv. Mengzao, and rutin, luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol, quercetin, and apigenin are the major flavonoids in L. indica L. cv. Mengzao. In general, the total flavonoids' content in different parts of L. indica L. cv. Mengzao followed the order flowers > leaves > stems > roots. Flowers and leaves are the main harvesting parts of L. indica L. cv. Mengzao, and the flowering period is the most suitable harvesting period. This study provides valuable information for the development and utilization of L. indica L. cv. Mengzao and determined the best part to harvest and the optimal time for harvesting.

Growth performance, apparent digestibility, and N balance in Mongolian lambs and hoggs fed diets supplemented with a Chinese traditional herbal medicine complex.

We evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with Chinese traditional herbal medicine (CTHM) on the growth performance, apparent digestibility, and nitrogen balance in Mongolian lambs and hoggs. The CTHM used as a dietary supplement consisted of 30% pine needles, 20% mugwort, 40% garlic, and 10% Astragalus mongholicus on a dry matter (DM) basis. The basal diet was prepared from corn stover, corn grain, wheat bran, rapeseed meal, shell meal, dicalcium phosphate, salt, vitamin premix, and mineral premix. In total, 16 Mongolian lambs (20.75 kg initial body weight [BW]) and 16 hoggs (33.81 kg initial BW) were allocated randomly to one of two treatments, the basal diet without and with CTHM, with the group receiving CTHM fed 98.5% basal diet + 1.5% CTHM complex on a DM basis. Lamb and hogg growth trials showed that CTHM supplementation improved the final live weight, gain, and feed conversion ratio (p < 0.01). A digestibility trial showed that the diet with CTHM improved the digestibility of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and neutral detergent fiber in lambs and hoggs. Finally, CTHM supplementation decreased (p < 0.0001) fecal and urinary nitrogen and increased (p = 0.0004) nitrogen (N) retention. Overall, the addition of CTHM to the diets of lambs and hoggs has beneficial effects on growth.