Determination the effects of capsaicin on the growth of pure cultures of rumen bacteria

Year 2020, Vetexpo-2019, KHVD-2019, 33 - 33, 31.03.2020

Ahu Demirtaş

Abstract

Capsaicin that is a major pungent component of red pepper is widely used as food additive and considered
to be an antimicrobial factor. In this study, it was aimed to determine the effects of capsaicin on the growth
of pure cultures of Gram-positive and Gram-negative rumen bacteria to evaluate potential of capsaicin as
an alternative to ionophore antibiotics in modification of ruminal fermentation. The antibacterial activity
assays of capsaicin were carried out using broth microdilution method under strictly anaerobic conditions
inside an anaerobic chamber. Capsaicin was used in a dose range of 0.5-256 μg/mL. Capsaicin exhibited
potential antibacterial activity on Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Methanobacterium formicicum (p<0.05),
although it did not inhibit these bacteria completely. On the other hand, capsaicin showed growth
stimulatory effect on Ruminococcus albus at 0.5-128 μg/mL doses (p<0.05), while potential antibacterial
activity was observed at 256 μg/mL (p<0.05). Growth of other Gram-positive rumen bacteria, Butyrivibrio
fibrisolvens and Eubacterium ruminantium were stimulated by capsaicin at 0.5-64 μg/mL and 8-128 μg/
mL doses, respectively (p<0.05), however stimulatory effects disappeared at higher concentrations.
Capsaicin had stimulatory effects on Streptococcus bovis from Gram-positive bacteria at all used doses
(p<0.05). Capsaicin also showed stimulatory effects on the growth of Gram-negative rumen
bacteria, Megasphaera elsdenii and Fibrobacter succinogenes, at 0.5-128 μg/mL and 1-256 μg/mL
concentrations, respectively (p<0.05). Stimulatory effects of capsaicin on some hydrogen, formate and
lactate producer Gram-positive rumen bacteria suggested that the mechanism of action of capsaicin in the
rumen may be different from ionophore antibiotics.

Keywords

Antibacterial, capsaicin

References

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