L-arginine (L-Arg) is an essential amino acid for poultry and aquatic animals because they cannot synthesize arginine by themselves. For swine, it is a semi-essential or conditionally essential amino acid. Conditionally essential amino acid means the amino acid should be supplemented under specific conditions such as stress, injury or infection.
L-Arg is related to synthesis of various metabolites, including nitric oxide (NO), polyamine and creatine, as well as protein.
L-Arg modulates adaptive immune cell (T cell and B cell) metabolism and functions. Moreover, nitric oxide, an arginine metabolite, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammation. One study shows that 0.5% L-Arg supplementation alleviated liver injury in piglets under E.coli LPS (endotoxin) challenge (Li et al., 2012). Also, L-Arg for early-weaned piglets
improved IgG and IgM status as well as growth performance (Tan et al., 2009).
Improving Wound Healing
Proline is the component of collagen and polyamine is important for cell proliferation, therefore, they help to improve wound healing and prevent infection by wounded skin (Gould et al., 2008).
*References are available on request