{"id":31974,"date":"2020-05-04T11:19:37","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T09:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nutrex.eu\/insights\/endotoxins-explained\/"},"modified":"2025-10-20T09:51:06","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T07:51:06","slug":"endotoxins-explained","status":"publish","type":"insights","link":"https:\/\/www.nutrex.eu\/en-eu\/insights\/endotoxins-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Endotoxins explained!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Endotoxins explained!<\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Origin and chemical structure of lipopolysaccharides (LPS). A: Gram-negative bacteria; B: cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria; C LPS; D: outer O-polysaccharide: E: inner R-polysaccharide; F: lipid A<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n \n \n
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Endotoxins are\u2026.<\/h3>\n \n

Endotoxins are toxic compounds from bacterial origin. The most well-known endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which are part of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria (e.g. E. coli, Salmonella). LPS \u00a0from all Gram-negative bacteria, commensal or pathogenic, share the same chemical structure, being an outer O-polysaccharide, an inner R-polysaccharide \u00a0and a lipid A moiety. The latter carriers the endotoxic activity of LPS and leads to the activation of the immune system. This lipid A endotoxicity varies between different bacteria and depends on several structural factors.<\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Factors known to increase gut permeability: antibiotics, fatty liver, feed transition, heat stress, pathogens, SARA, mycotoxins, weaning.<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n \n \n
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Endotoxins are present always and everywhere!<\/h3>\n \n

During normal bacterial division and lysis, LPS molecules are released from the bacterial outer membrane into the environment, such as the air, water, soil and gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The GIT of production animals is colonized by various microorganisms, including a vast amount of bacterial species forming the largest population of the gut microbiota. Therefore, endotoxins are especially abundant in the gut of production animals.<\/p>\n

The gastrointestinal tract is the most important source of endotoxins. Once endotoxins pass the intestinal barrier, via paracellular or transcellular pathways, they trigger an inflammatory response consuming energy and nutrients needed for growth and production. Hence, an efficient gut barrier is essential to prevent the translocation of endotoxins. However, several factors (e.g. heat stress, mycotoxins, pathogens, feed transition, weaning) are known to increase gut permeability, promoting leakage of endotoxins.<\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Endotoxins induce inflammation<\/h2>\n \n
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Once in the circulation, endotoxins induce an inflammatory response<\/a> which consumes a lot of energy and nutrients at the expense of the production of meat, eggs and milk. Also, endotoxins can trigger multiple metabolic disorders such as lameness and fatty liver. In the worst case, high amounts of endotoxins result in septic shock and even death.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Novel strategies to protect animals against endotoxins<\/h4>\n \n
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It is apparent from the discussion above that novel strategies need to be developed to reduce the negative effects of endotoxins. Especially, measures should be taken to minimize leakage of endotoxins across the GIT. This can be achieved by enforcing the gut barrier function and by reducing both the amount and toxicity of endotoxins residing in the lumen of the GIT.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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EndoBan | Endotoxin reducer<\/h3>\n <\/a>\n \n \n

Nutrex developed a new innovative feed additive, EndoBan<\/a>, by combining different strategies to help farmers and feed mills to counteract problems related to endotoxins in order to protect the animal\u2019s health and improve performance.<\/p>\n<\/span>\n \n \n References are available upon request <\/a>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n\t\t\t\t\t

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Endotoxins, primarily lipopolysaccharides (LPS), are potent toxic molecules derived from the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. They are continuously released into the surrounding environment and the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) during bacterial growth, division, and lysis. Under normal physiological conditions, the host\u2019s immune and detoxification systems can effectively neutralize low levels of these endotoxins without adverse effects.<\/p>\n

However, when animals are exposed to multiple stressors, such as heat stress, poor nutrition, infections, or immunosuppressive conditions, their ability to contain and eliminate endotoxins becomes compromised. This increased permeability of the intestinal barrier facilitates the translocation of LPS into systemic circulation, where it activates inflammatory pathways and induces oxidative stress.<\/p>\n

Excessive endotoxin load can severely impair animal health, leading to reduced feed intake, impaired nutrient utilization, lower growth rates, and compromised reproductive performance. Chronic exposure has also been linked to metabolic disorders and decreased disease resistance, collectively resulting in significant productivity and economic losses in livestock production systems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":31620,"template":"","category_product":[2857,3086],"insight_categories":[],"solutions":[2897,2901,2896,3006,2898,2899,2900],"spiecies":[2853,2854,2855,2856],"class_list":["post-31974","insights","type-insights","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category_product-endotoxin-reducers-en-eu","category_product-toxin-reducers-en-eu","solutions-antibiotic-reduction-en-eu","solutions-egg-production-quality-en-eu","solutions-gut-health-en-eu","solutions-meat-production-quality-en-eu","solutions-milk-production-quality-en-eu","solutions-rumen-health-en-eu","solutions-toxin-management-en-eu","spiecies-aquaculture","spiecies-poultry","spiecies-ruminants","spiecies-swine"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nExploring Lipopolysaccharides (LPS): Endotoxins from gram-negative bacteria | Nutrex Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The most well-known endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which are part of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. 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