Fatty acid composition and its application in regulating intestinal flora

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of feed products, and in particular to a fatty acid composition and its application in regulating intestinal flora. The fatty acid composition provided by the present invention can effectively regulate intestinal flora, increase beneficial intestinal bacteria, reduce harmful bacteria, promote the production of intestinal short-chain fatty acids, maintain intestinal barrier integrity, improve intestinal health, and can be used to prevent intestinal diseases or reduce the risk of intestinal diseases; compared with drugs such as antibiotics, the composition uses fatty acids as effective ingredients, has higher safety, is not easy to develop drug resistance, and can be added in daily feeding to improve intestinal health.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of feed products, in particular to a fatty acid composition and application thereof in regulating intestinal flora. Background Art

[0002] Intestinal flora is a general term for the microbial community in the intestines of animals, which is highly complex. In the process of animal breeding, various factors such as diet, environment, pathogenic bacteria infection, and disease will destroy the balance of intestinal flora, leading to a large proliferation of harmful flora and inhibiting the proliferation of beneficial bacteria, thereby causing diarrhea and other intestinal diseases. Changes in the structure and composition of intestinal flora will further accelerate the development of intestinal diseases. Intestinal flora can affect the body through its metabolites. Among them, short-chain fatty acids are representative metabolites of intestinal flora, which have a wide range of physiological functions. They can provide energy for intestinal epithelial cells, regulate the expression of tight junction proteins of intestinal mucosal cells, maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier, participate in immune regulation and exert anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, the development of a composition with intestinal flora regulation function and promotion of short-chain fatty acid production is of great significance for ensuring animal intestinal health and reducing the risk of intestinal diseases. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention provides a fatty acid composition and application thereof in regulating intestinal flora.

[0004] Specifically, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0005] The present invention provides a fatty acid composition, comprising:

[0006] (1) butyric acid and / or a precursor substance capable of releasing butyric acid in the digestive tract; and

[0007] (2) lauric acid and / or a precursor substance capable of releasing lauric acid in the digestive tract; and

[0008] (3) arachidonic acid and / or a precursor substance capable of releasing arachidonic acid in the digestive tract; and

[0009] (4) docosahexaenoic acid and / or a precursor substance capable of releasing docosahexaenoic acid in the digestive tract;

[0010] Calculated by the mass of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the weight proportions of the components are as follows: 2-4 parts of butyric acid, 1-3 parts of lauric acid, 7-10 parts of arachidonic acid and 7-10 parts of docosahexaenoic acid.

[0011] The present invention finds that butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can cooperate with each other in regulating intestinal flora and promoting the production of intestinal short-chain fatty acids in a certain ratio, producing a synergistic effect, and significantly enhancing the effect of the composition on improving intestinal flora and intestinal health; and adding precursor substances that can release the above-mentioned fatty acids in the digestive tract through digestion and decomposition can have a considerable technical effect.

[0012] In the present invention, the mass of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid refers to the mass of the above fatty acids contained in the composition and the sum of the masses of the above fatty acids that can be produced by the precursor substances of the above fatty acids in theory. For example, if a butyric acid precursor is added, the amount of butyric acid added is calculated based on the amount of the butyric acid precursor added and its butyric acid content. If a mixture of butyric acid and a butyric acid precursor is added, the amount of butyric acid added converted from the precursor substance is calculated based on the amount of the butyric acid precursor added and its butyric acid content, and then the sum of the amount of butyric acid added converted from the precursor substance and the amount of butyric acid added itself is calculated.

[0013] Preferably, based on the mass of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the weight parts of each component are as follows: 2-3 parts of butyric acid, 1-2 parts of lauric acid, 8-9 parts of arachidonic acid and 8-9 parts of docosahexaenoic acid.

[0014] Preferably, based on the mass of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the ratio of the total mass of butyric acid and lauric acid to the total mass of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid is 1:(3-6).

[0015] The present invention finds that by controlling the ratio of the total mass of butyric acid and lauric acid to the total mass of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid within the above range, the above saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids can produce a synergistic effect in increasing the abundance of beneficial intestinal bacteria, reducing the abundance of harmful intestinal bacteria and promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids in the intestine, thereby significantly improving the effect of the composition on improving intestinal flora and its metabolism.

[0016] Further preferably, based on the mass of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the ratio of the total mass of butyric acid and lauric acid to the total mass of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid is 1:(4-5).

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the active ingredients of the composition may consist only of (1) butyric acid and / or a precursor capable of releasing butyric acid in the digestive tract, (2) lauric acid and / or a precursor capable of releasing lauric acid in the digestive tract, (3) arachidonic acid and / or a precursor capable of releasing arachidonic acid in the digestive tract, and (4) docosahexaenoic acid and / or a precursor capable of releasing docosahexaenoic acid in the digestive tract.

[0018] In the present invention, the precursor substance refers to a substance that can provide target fatty acids (butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid) in the digestive system through biotransformation methods such as hydrolysis and esterification.

[0019] In the above composition, the precursor substance capable of releasing butyric acid in the digestive tract is one or more selected from butyrate, butyrate ester, and butyrate derivatives.

[0020] The precursor substance capable of releasing lauric acid in the digestive tract is one or more selected from laurate, lauric acid ester, and lauric acid ester derivatives.

[0021] The precursor substance capable of releasing arachidonic acid in the digestive tract is one or more substances selected from arachidonic acid salts, arachidonic acid esters, and arachidonic acid ester derivatives.

[0022] The precursor substance capable of releasing docosahexaenoic acid in the digestive tract is one or more selected from docosahexaenoic acid salts, docosahexaenoic acid esters, and docosahexaenoic acid ester derivatives.

[0023] In the above-mentioned precursor substances, the salt includes one or more of sodium salt, potassium salt, calcium salt and magnesium salt. The ester and ester derivative include ethyl ester, glyceride, phospholipid type glyceride or its salt.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ester is a glyceride. Among them, the butyric acid glyceride can be one or more of tributyrin, monobutyrin, and dibutyrin. The butyric acid glyceride derivative can be one or more of butyric acid glyceride salts, butyric acid lauric acid glyceride, butyric acid caprylic acid glyceride, butyric acid capric acid glyceride or. Lauric acid glyceride can be one or more selected from polyglycerol laurate, lauric acid monoglyceride, dilauric acid glyceride, and trilauric acid glyceride. Lauric acid glyceride derivatives can be one or more selected from lauric acid glyceride salts, esters of lauric acid and other short-chain or medium-chain fatty acids and glycerol or their salts.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present invention, the precursor of butyric acid is tributyrin.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present invention, the precursor of lauric acid is lauric acid monoglyceride.

[0027] Among them, arachidonic acid or its precursor can be obtained from plants or microorganisms (such as Mortierella alpina) through fermentation.

[0028] Docosahexaenoic acid or its precursor can be obtained by fermentation from plants, deep-sea fish or microorganisms (algae). The types of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the oils obtained by microbial fermentation are relatively concentrated and the content is relatively high, which can be used as the raw material of docosahexaenoic acid or its precursor. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, DHA algae oil is used as a raw material to provide DHA.

[0029] In order to reduce the difficulty of application, the above-mentioned oil raw materials are usually prepared into powders in the art, and the powders, in addition to the oils containing the target fatty acids, are mainly made of starch, casein, antioxidants and other substances, which are only used as auxiliary materials for the powders and do not have the effects of regulating intestinal flora in the body. Therefore, it can be understood by those skilled in the art that the use of powders as raw materials (for example, in some embodiments of the present invention, arachidonic acid powder is used as a raw material to provide arachidonic acid, and DHA algae oil powder is used as a raw material to provide DHA) will not affect the efficacy of the composition of the present invention.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, the composition comprises the following components: tributyrin, monolaurin, arachidonic acid and DHA algae oil. Based on the mass of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid contained in the above components, the weight parts of each component are as follows: 2-3 parts of butyric acid, 1-2 parts of lauric acid, 8-9 parts of arachidonic acid, and 8-9 parts of docosahexaenoic acid.

[0031] The weight proportion of each precursor substance or raw material in the composition can be calculated based on the content of the corresponding fatty acid in the precursor substance or raw material and the weight proportion of the above fatty acid in the composition.

[0032] The animals targeted by the above composition include mammals, preferably cats, and more preferably kittens. The above composition can effectively regulate the intestinal flora of kittens, increase beneficial bacteria, reduce harmful bacteria, promote the production of intestinal short-chain fatty acids, maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier, improve intestinal health, prevent intestinal diseases, and reduce the risk of intestinal diseases.

[0033] The composition provided by the present invention is preferably a composition for cats, more preferably a composition for kittens, and more preferably a composition for regulating the intestinal flora of kittens.

[0034] The present invention also provides any of the following applications of the above-mentioned fatty acid composition:

[0035] (1) Application in the preparation of products for regulating intestinal flora of animals;

[0036] (2) Application in the preparation of products for promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids in the intestines of animals;

[0037] (3) Application in the preparation of products for improving intestinal health of animals;

[0038] (4) Use in the preparation of products for preventing intestinal diseases in animals;

[0039] (5) Application in animal husbandry;

[0040] (6) Use in the preparation of feed, feed additives, medicines or foods.

[0041] In the above application, the animal is preferably a mammal.

[0042] More preferably, the animal is a feline.

[0043] In some embodiments of the invention, the animal is a cat.

[0044] In some embodiments of the present invention, the animal is a kitten. The composition of the present invention is designed based on a proprietary ω-3,6 balance for kittens (excluding EPA), is more suitable for the development of kittens, and provides food-borne gastrointestinal health nutrients.

[0045] In the above application, the product is one selected from feed, feed additives, medicine, and food, wherein the food includes ordinary food and health food.

[0046] In the above application, the dosage of the product when administered to animals is: 0.017-0.029 g / kg body weight / day, calculated as the total amount of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid.

[0047] The present invention provides a medicine, which comprises the above-mentioned fatty acid composition.

[0048] In addition to the above-mentioned composition, the drug may also contain excipients permitted in the pharmaceutical field. The drug may be in any dosage form, including but not limited to solid preparations such as powders and liquid preparations such as emulsions.

[0049] The above-mentioned medicine can be a medicine for regulating intestinal flora, preferably a medicine for cats.

[0050] Preferably, the content of arachidonic acid in the drug is 0.01-10% based on the mass of arachidonic acid.

[0051] The present invention provides a feed, which comprises the above-mentioned fatty acid composition.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present invention, the feed is cat feed (eg, cat canned food).

[0053] Preferably, the content of arachidonic acid in the feed is 0.01-0.04% based on the mass of arachidonic acid.

[0054] The present invention provides a method for regulating intestinal flora of a kitten and / or promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids in the intestinal tract of a kitten, the method comprising: administering the above-mentioned fatty acid composition to a subject, the administration amount being: 0.017-0.029 g / kg body weight / day based on the total amount of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid.

[0055] The present invention is verified through animal experiments that administering the fatty acid composition of the present invention to kittens in the above dosage can effectively regulate intestinal flora, increase beneficial intestinal bacteria, reduce harmful bacteria, and promote the production of intestinal short-chain fatty acids.

[0056] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the fatty acid composition of the present invention is mainly designed for kittens, and can supplement the fatty acids required for the growth and development of kittens, while effectively regulating the intestinal flora, increasing beneficial intestinal bacteria (such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium), reducing harmful bacteria (such as Peptococcus and Escherichia-Shigella), promoting the production of intestinal short-chain fatty acids, maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier, improving intestinal health, and can be used to prevent intestinal diseases or reduce the risk of intestinal diseases; the effective ingredient of the composition is fatty acid, which has higher safety than drugs such as antibiotics, is not easy to produce drug resistance, and can be added in daily feeding to improve intestinal health. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solution of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0058] In the compositions of the following examples and comparative examples, butyric acid is provided as tributyrin (butyric acid content is 60%) as a raw material, lauric acid is provided as monolaurin (lauric acid content is 90%) as a raw material, ARA is provided as arachidonic acid powder (ARA content is 20%) as a raw material, and DHA is provided as DHA algae oil powder (DHA content is 11.3%) as a raw material.

[0059] The dosage of the above raw materials can be calculated based on the content of the target fatty acid and the dosage ratio of the target fatty acid in the composition.

[0060] Specifically, the fatty acid composition of Example 1 comprises the following raw material components in a mass ratio: the mass ratio of tributyrin powder, monolaurin powder, arachidonic acid powder, and DHA algae oil powder is 4.28:0.95:34.22:60.56. The composition of Example 2 comprises the following raw material components in a mass ratio: the mass ratio of tributyrin powder, monolaurin powder, arachidonic acid powder, and DHA algae oil powder is 2.56:1.71:34.56:61.17.

[0061] The linoleic acid in the composition of Comparative Example 1 is provided as a raw material of linoleic acid powder (linoleic acid content is 60%), and comprises the following raw material components in a mass ratio: tributyrin powder, lauric acid monoglyceride powder, arachidonic acid powder, and linoleic acid powder in a mass ratio of 8.41:1.87:67.29:22.43. The composition of Comparative Example 2 comprises the following raw material components in a mass ratio: the mass ratio of arachidonic acid powder and DHA algae oil powder is 34.22:60.56. The composition of Comparative Example 3 comprises the following raw material components in a mass ratio: the mass ratio of tributyrin powder and lauric acid monoglyceride powder is 4.28:0.95.

[0062] Example 1

[0063] This embodiment provides a fatty acid composition, which comprises the following components in parts by weight: 3 parts of butyric acid, 1 part of lauric acid, 8 parts of arachidonic acid, and 8 parts of DHA.

[0064] Example 2

[0065] This embodiment provides a fatty acid composition, which comprises the following components in parts by weight: 2 parts of butyric acid, 2 parts of lauric acid, 9 parts of arachidonic acid, and 9 parts of DHA.

[0066] Comparative Example 1

[0067] This comparative example provides a composition, which differs from the composition of Example 1 only in that DHA is replaced by linoleic acid, that is, it comprises the following components in parts by weight: 3 parts of butyric acid, 1 part of lauric acid, 8 parts of arachidonic acid, and 8 parts of linoleic acid.

[0068] Comparative Example 2

[0069] This comparative example provides a composition, which comprises the following components in parts by weight: 8 parts of arachidonic acid and 8 parts of DHA.

[0070] Comparative Example 3

[0071] This comparative example provides a composition comprising the following components in parts by weight: 3 parts of butyric acid and 1 part of lauric acid.

[0072] Experimental example

[0073] Animal experiments were conducted on the fatty acid compositions of the above embodiments and comparative examples to evaluate their efficacy in regulating intestinal flora and short-chain fatty acid production, improving intestinal health, etc. The specific methods and results are as follows:

[0074] 1. Materials

[0075] (1) Experimental animals

[0076] Purchase young rural kittens in good health, half male and half female.

[0077] Breeding environment: room temperature 20-25℃, light alternates between dark and light every 12 hours, relative humidity is about 40%-60%; daily diet is purchased commercial kitten prescription food, fed according to the recommended dose, drinking water, etc. are uniformly matched, the indoor environment is kept well ventilated, and a good sanitary environment is maintained in the cage.

[0078] Animal Welfare: During the entire experimental process, the cats were kept scientifically in accordance with the relevant regulations of the Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee.

[0079] (2) Experimental Materials

[0080] Escherichia coli, LB medium, etc.

[0081] (3) Experimental instruments and equipment

[0082] High-speed refrigerated centrifuge, ELISA reader, etc.

[0083] 2. Experimental methods

[0084] (1) Animal grouping

[0085] The young cats were adaptively raised for 2 days and randomly divided into groups, half male and half female, 4 cats in each group, weighing 1.8-2.3 kg, and divided into a kitten control group (Group E) and Example 1-2 and Comparative Example 1-3 groups.

[0086] (2) Test methods

[0087] Prior to the trial, cats were physically examined and blood samples were collected for complete blood counts, serum biochemical profiles to ensure that all cats were healthy before the trial and laboratory tests were within normal ranges.

[0088] After 2 days of adaptive feeding of the kittens, the kitten control group (Group E) was fed with a basal diet, and the Example 1-2 and Comparative Example 1-3 groups were fed with a basal diet and a corresponding fatty acid composition. The compositions of Example 1-2 and Comparative Example 1-3 were all given at a feeding rate of 0.02 g fatty acid (i.e., the total amount of arachidonic acid, DHA, butyric acid, and lauric acid, and the lack of components was calculated as 0) / kg body weight / day. The kitten test period is expected to be 2 weeks. During this period, the kittens' fecal morphology, defecation frequency, and food intake were observed.

[0089] During the experiment, each cat had an individual cage, and the food intake was recorded daily and the cats were weighed once a week.

[0090] (3) Sample collection

[0091] Collect animal feces, hair and blood.

[0092] 3. Testing indicators and methods

[0093] (1) Diarrhea

[0094] Pay attention to the feces of each cat every day, take photos to record the feces morphology, and record the incidence of diarrhea every day.

[0095]

[0096] (2) Growth indicators

[0097] Based on the daily recorded feed intake and weekly body weight, feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion rate of each group were calculated.

[0098] Feed intake: Record the amount of feed given daily, weigh the remaining amount of each group before feeding every evening, and calculate and record the daily feed intake.

[0099] Daily weight gain: Each cat was weighed once a week, and weekly and daily weight gain were calculated.

[0100]

[0101] (3) Blood indicators

[0102] After the experiment, blood was collected from the animals to detect serum inflammatory indicators.

[0103] The blood in the blank tube was centrifuged at 3000 rpm / min for 10 min to separate the upper serum, and the serum SAA concentration was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For specific operation steps, please refer to the kit instructions.

[0104] (4) Fecal indicators

[0105] The volatile fatty acids in the feces were detected by gas chromatography, and the bacterial flora in the feces were sent to the company for 16SrDNA determination.

[0106] Among them, the method for detecting volatile fatty acids in feces is as follows:

[0107] Weigh 0.4g of feces into a 1.5mL centrifuge tube, add ultrapure water at a ratio of 1:3, vortex mix and let stand for 10min, then centrifuge at 10000rpm for 10min; separate the supernatant, centrifuge at 10000rpm for 10min; take 1mL of supernatant and mix with 20μL of chromatographic grade phosphoric acid; pass the mixture through a 0.22μm disposable syringe filter and inject the filtrate directly into the chromatographic bottle. Use gas chromatograph to determine the content of SCFAs (mainly acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid) in the cecal contents.

[0108] The fecal flora detection method is as follows:

[0109] Microbial DNA from cat feces was extracted using the DNA SPIN kit. Primers 341F (5'-CCTAYGGGRBGCASCAG-3') and 806R (5'-GGACTACHVGGGTWTCTAAT-3') were used to amplify the V3-V4 region of the 16S rDNA gene in the samples. The pooled DNA products were used to construct Illumina paired-end libraries according to the Illumina genomic DNA library preparation procedure. The amplicon libraries were then paired-end sequenced (2×250) on the Illumina Novaseq platform according to the standard protocol. The raw image data files obtained by high-throughput sequencing were converted into sequencing reads by base calling analysis.

[0110] Data optimization: Raw data were cleaned through three steps: raw read filtering, high-quality read assembly, and chimera removal.

[0111] OTU clustering: Using Usearch software, non-repetitive sequences (excluding single sequences) with similarity > 97% were assigned to the same OTU, and the representative sequence of each OTU was annotated with a threshold of 0.8.

[0112] Taxonomic analysis: uclust software was used to perform taxonomic analysis on OTU representative sequences, and the community composition of each sample was statistically analyzed at each classification level: domain, kingdom, plylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. The comparison database was RDP.

[0113] Sample diversity analysis (Alpha-diversity): Based on the obtained OTUs data, the sample flora abundance and flora diversity were analyzed through four indexes (Chao, Shannon, Simpson, Coverage), and the R language tool was used to draw the graph.

[0114] Species composition: Based on the OTU sample table with a similarity level of 97%, the number of common and unique OTUs in multiple samples was counted, the similarity and overlap of each sample were compared, and the Veen diagram was produced using the R language tool.

[0115] Differential analysis: First, the nonparametric factor Kruskal-Wallis sum rank test was used to detect the characteristics with significant abundance differences, and the groups with significant differences in abundance were found. The difference was considered significant when P < 0.05. Finally, the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to estimate the magnitude of the influence of each species abundance on the differential effect using LEfSE software.

[0116] (5) Statistical analysis

[0117] The experimental results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation; the data were statistically analyzed by SPSS20.0 software. Independent sample t test was used for comparison between two groups, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for comparison between multiple groups. Compared with the minimum value in the group, P < 0.05 (*) was considered statistically significant.

[0118] 4. Results and Analysis

[0119] (1) Effects of fatty acid composition on diarrhea rate, growth performance, and blood indexes in pet kittens

[0120] All kittens in each group were not attacked by bacteria during the experiment, so there was no obvious soft stool phenomenon, no significant difference in growth performance, and no abnormalities in blood indicators.

[0121] (2) Effect of fatty acid composition on SCFAs in feces of pet kittens

[0122] After calculation, there was no significant difference in feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion rate among the kittens in the test period. The results are shown in Table 1. Supplementing the fatty acid composition of Examples 1-2 in the daily diet of kittens can increase the concentration of SCFAs in cat feces, especially significantly increase the concentration of butyric acid and valeric acid (P < 0.05), and its effect on increasing the concentration of SCFAs is significantly better than that of Comparative Examples 1-3. The increase in the concentration of SCFAs has a certain promoting effect on intestinal flora and intestinal health.

[0123] Table 1 Effect of fatty acid composition on SCFAs in kitten feces

[0124]

[0125] (3) Effect of fatty acid composition on fecal flora of pet kittens

[0126] Changes in fecal flora of kittens at the phylum level (Table 2): Firmicutes had the highest abundance in all groups, followed by Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Supplementing the fatty acid composition of Example 1-2 in the kitten's diet can significantly reduce the relative abundance of Proteobacteria (P < 0.05) and increase the relative abundance of Actinobacteria, and its regulatory effect on the above flora is significantly better than that of Comparative Examples 1-3. Most of the Proteobacteria are pathogenic bacteria, and the increase in the abundance of Proteobacteria indicates potential dysbiosis and susceptibility to intestinal diseases. Actinobacteria contain beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium, which can produce beneficial metabolites and enzymes, helping to promote nutrient metabolism and absorption.

[0127] Table 2 Effect of fatty acid composition on fecal flora of kittens (phylum level)

[0128]

[0129]

[0130] Note: Negative change rates in Table 2 represent a decrease in relative abundance.

[0131] Changes in the fecal flora of kittens at the genus level (Table 3): In all groups, the genera with the highest abundance were Lactobacillus, Collinsella and Bifidobacterium. Supplementing the fatty acid composition of Examples 1-2 in the diet of healthy kittens significantly reduced the abundance of Peptococcus in the feces (P < 0.05), reduced the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella (P > 0.05); and increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium (P > 0.05), and its regulatory effect on the above flora was significantly better than that of the composition of Comparative Examples 1-3.

[0132] Peptococcus is a normal flora in the intestine, mostly conditional pathogens, often mixed with other bacteria, or infected alone. Escherichia-Shigella belongs to the Proteobacteria, can penetrate epithelial cells to cause macrophage apoptosis, and release IL-1β to induce intestinal inflammation. The abundance of Peptococcus in the feces of the embodiment group was significantly reduced, and the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella showed a decreasing trend, both indicating that the fatty acid composition of the embodiment supplemented in the diet of healthy kittens is not conducive to the growth of harmful bacteria, and can reduce the colonization of pathogenic bacteria. Lactobacillus maintains the balance of intestinal flora by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria and preventing intestinal infection and inflammation; improves digestive function by decomposing cellulose and other indigestible substances in food, promoting food digestion and nutrient absorption, and improving the body's immunity by enhancing the intestinal mucosal barrier function and preventing harmful substances from entering the blood circulation. The increase in Bifidobacterium can improve the body's immunity, reduce and treat gastrointestinal infections, and improve diarrhea or constipation. The metabolism of Bifidobacterium can produce acidic substances such as lactic acid or short-chain fatty acids, which acidify the intestinal environment, making it unfavorable for the growth of harmful microorganisms. It can also promote intestinal peristalsis, facilitate defecation and excrete pathogenic bacteria.

[0133] Table 3 Effect of fatty acid composition on fecal flora of kittens (genus level)

[0134]

[0135]

[0136] Note: Negative change rates in Table 3 represent a decrease in relative abundance.

[0137] In summary, supplementing the basic fatty acid nutrient package in the daily diet of kittens can significantly increase the concentration of butyric acid and valeric acid in feces. Supplementing the basic fatty acid nutrient package in the daily diet of kittens can significantly reduce the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Peptostreptococcus (P < 0.05), and increase the relative abundance of Actinobacteria, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

[0138] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fatty acid composition, characterized in that It contains: (1) butyric acid and / or a precursor substance capable of releasing butyric acid in the digestive tract; and (2) lauric acid and / or a precursor substance capable of releasing lauric acid in the digestive tract; as well as (3) arachidonic acid and / or a precursor substance capable of releasing arachidonic acid in the digestive tract; as well as (4) docosahexaenoic acid and / or a precursor substance capable of releasing docosahexaenoic acid in the digestive tract; Calculated by the mass of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the weight proportions of the components are as follows: 2-4 parts of butyric acid, 1-3 parts of lauric acid, 7-10 parts of arachidonic acid and 7-10 parts of docosahexaenoic acid.

2. The fatty acid composition according to claim 1, characterized in that Calculated by the mass of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the weight proportions of the components are as follows: 2-3 parts of butyric acid, 1-2 parts of lauric acid, 8-9 parts of arachidonic acid and 8-9 parts of docosahexaenoic acid.

3. The fatty acid composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that Calculated by the mass of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the ratio of the total mass of butyric acid and lauric acid to the total mass of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid is 1:(3-6).

4. The fatty acid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The precursor substance capable of releasing butyric acid in the digestive tract is one or more selected from butyrate, butyrate ester, and butyrate derivatives; And / or, the precursor substance capable of releasing lauric acid in the digestive tract is one or more selected from laurate, lauric acid ester, and lauric acid ester derivative; And / or, the precursor substance capable of releasing arachidonic acid in the digestive tract is one or more selected from arachidonic acid salts, arachidonic acid esters, and arachidonic acid ester derivatives; And / or, the precursor substance capable of releasing docosahexaenoic acid in the digestive tract is one or more selected from docosahexaenoic acid salts, docosahexaenoic acid esters, and docosahexaenoic acid ester derivatives.

5. Any one of the following uses of the fatty acid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4: (1) Application in the preparation of products for regulating intestinal flora of animals; (2) Application in the preparation of products for promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids in the intestines of animals; (3) Application in the preparation of products for improving intestinal health of animals; (4) Use in the preparation of products for preventing intestinal diseases in animals; (5) Application in animal husbandry; (6) Use in the preparation of feed, feed additives, medicines or foods.

6. The use according to claim 5, characterized in that: The animal is a mammal; Preferably, the animal is a feline; more preferably a cat.

7. The use according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The product is one selected from feed, feed additives, medicine and food.

8. The use according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: The dosage of the product when administered to animals is: 0.017-0.029 g / kg body weight / day, calculated based on the total amount of butyric acid, lauric acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid.

9. A drug, characterized in that The medicine comprises the fatty acid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. A feed, characterized in that: The feed comprises the fatty acid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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