Mechanisms by Which Plant Extracts Ameliorate Bovine Mastitis Through the Regulation of Mitochondrial Function: A Review

Mastitis is recognized worldwide as one of the most expensive and common bovine diseases, severely affecting bovine health and milk quality. Mitochondria, known to play important roles in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs), not only provide energy for milk synthesis but also participate in the regulation of the intracellular redox balance, inflammatory reactions, calcium signal transduction, and apoptosis. Mastitis destroys the dynamic balance between the intrinsic repair and damage mechanisms of mitochondria, which leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and aggravation of mammary cell injury or apoptosis. Plant extracts are rich in bioactive substances and are promising antibiotic substitutes for alleviating bovine mastitis. This paper reviews the mechanism through which plant extracts promote mitochondrial repair by interfering with mitophagy, dynamic balance and biogenesis, and alleviate mitochondrial damage by inhibiting mitochondrial ROS, calcium homeostasis imbalance and permeability changes, resulting in the regulation of the mitochondrial function of mammary cells under inflammation and oxidative stress. Elucidation of these mechanisms can provide new strategies for the targeted control of bovine mastitis.