Abstract: 【Objective】 The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary grape seed procyanidins (GSPs) or vitamin E (VE) on growth performance, serum redox status and liver oxidative damage in piglets under oxidative stress. 【Method】 Twenty-four weaned piglets (L×Y) at 28 d of age were allotted into 4 groups with 6 replicates per group and 1 piglet per replicate. Piglets in NC group or Diquat group were fed with basal diet, and those in GSPs+Diquat group or VE+Diquat group were fed with basal diets supplemented with 100 mg•kg-1 GSPs or 50 mg•kg-1 VE, respectively. On d 10, all the piglets in Diquat, GSPs+Diquat and VE+Diquat groups were injected intraperitoneally with Diquat (10 mg•kg-1), and those in NC group were injected with the same amount of sterile saline. The experiment lasted for 17 days. 【Result】 The results showed that Diquat injection caused the reduction of growth performance, anti-oxidant capacities of serum and liver, activities of hepatic ALT and AST(P＜0.05), while increased serum ALT and AST activities (P＜0.05). 100 mg•kg-1 GSPs or 50 mg•kg-1 VE supplementation improved serum GSH-px activity, capacity of anti-superoxide anion as well as hepatic ALT and AST activities (P＜0.05), and decreased ALT and AST activities and MDA content in serum (P＜0.05). Furthermore, GSPs also significantly enhanced serum SOD activity and anti-hydroxyl radical capacity, improved hepatic T-AOC and capacities of anti-hydroxyl radical, and reduced MDA content in liver (P＜0.05). 【Conclusion】Dietary supplementation of 100 mg•kg-1 of GSPs or 50 mg•kg-1 of VE can suppress the oxidative stress caused by Diquat injection in piglets, and GSPs exert a better antioxidant capacity in serum and liver.

Key words: grape seed procyanidins , vitamin E , weaned piglets , oxidative stress , liver