Alternatives to antibiotics as growth promoters for use in swine production: a review

Table 6 Effect of essential oils on intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity, and cytokine levels in weanling pigs

Items	Control	Antibiotic¹	Essential oil	SEM
Villus height, μm	466	509	535	24
Crypt depth, μm	164	156	162	8
Villus height:crypt depth	2.96^a	3.41^b	3.38^b	0.09
Total antioxidant capacity, U/mL	10.46^a	11.97^ab	12.37^b	0.52
Interleukin-6, ng/L	44.21^a	40.39^a	27.40^b	2.76
Tumor necrosis factor-α, ng/L	208^a	237^ab	260^b	13

ISSN: 2049-1891