Chlorogenic Acid Plays an Important Role in Improving the Growth and Antioxidant Status and Weakening the Inflammatory Response of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

This experiment evaluated the function of chlorogenic acid (CGA) in the growth, health status, and inflammation of largemouth bass (<i>Micropterus salmoides</i>). Over eight weeks, CGA supplementation was designed at five levels: 0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 mg/kg. The 180 and 240 mg/kg CGA-supplemented groups showed significant improvements in the FBW, SGR, and WGR compared to the control group (0 mg/kg) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). All the CGA-supplemented groups exhibited a significant reduction in the FCR (<i>p</i> < 0.05), with the 180 mg/kg CGA group showing the lowest FCR. Nonetheless, there were no appreciable differences in the plasma concentrations of TP, ALT, or AST among the treatments (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Compared to the control group, the 180 mg/kg CGA group exhibited significantly lower TC and TG levels (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The ALP levels showed no significant differences from the control group (<i>p</i> > 0.05). In terms of antioxidant parameters, CGA supplementation considerably reduced the MDA content (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and increased the GSH levels, while decreasing the <i>CAT</i>, <i>SOD</i>, and <i>GPx</i> activity levels Meanwhile, CGA supplementation resulted in reduced mRNA levels of <i>SOD</i>, <i>CAT</i>, <i>Nrf2</i>, <i>Keap1</i>, and <i>NF-κB</i> compared to the control group. In contrast, the mRNA levels of <i>GPx</i>, <i>IL-8</i>, <i>TLR2</i>, and <i>RelA</i> were elevated in the liver. Our findings indicated that CGA supplementation improved the growth performance and antioxidant status and weakened the inflammatory response of largemouth bass. These findings suggest that CGA could be a valuable dietary supplement for enhancing the health and growth of this species.