Bamboo Polyphenols Protect Against Salmonella Enteritidis in Chickens by Modulating Inflammation, Barrier Integrity, and Microbiota

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infections in poultry threaten animal health and food safety. Antibiotic resistance makes alternative treatments necessary. Bamboo polyphenols (BP), recovered from bamboo vinegar—a byproduct of bamboo carbonization—represent a sustainable and eco-friendly candidate for combating avian salmonellosis. We tested BP against SE using laboratory tests and a chick model. BP showed a minimum inhibitory concentration of 1:256 against SE. We infected chicks with 1.8 × 108 CFU per bird. The results indicated that adding 0.2% (v/v) BP to drinking water demonstrated optimal efficacy for prevention. Adding 0.4% (v/v) BP demonstrated optimal efficacy for treatment. Prophylactic BP administration effectively prevented SE-induced mortality and tissue damage. As a therapeutic agent, BP performed comparably to berberine. BP lowered the bacterial load in organs and increased chick survival to 96%. At the transcriptional level, BP administration downregulated the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. It also improved antioxidant levels, strengthened the intestinal barrier, and restored healthy gut bacteria. These results indicate that BP could serve as a potential and sustainable feed additive to reduce SE infection in poultry.