Atractylodes lancea Rhizome Polysaccharide Alleviates Immunosuppression and Intestinal Mucosal Injury in Mice Treated with Cyclophosphamide

Effects of supplemental feeding of Chinese herbal mixtures to perinatal sows on reproductive performance, immunity, and breast milk quality of sows

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of supplementary feeding with Chinese herbal mixtures on perinatal sows, focusing on their reproductive performance, immunity and breast milk quality. Sixty healthy pregnant sows (Large white, 4 parities) were randomly allocated into five treatment groups (n = 12 per group): the control group received a basal diet, the TRT1 group received a basal diet supplemented with 2 kg/t Bazhen powder (BZP), while the TRT2, TRT3, and TRT4 groups received a basal diet supplemented with 1 kg/t, 2 kg/t, and 3 kg/t Qi-Zhu-Gui-Shao soothing liver and replenishing blood powder (QZGSP), respectively. The trial lasted for a duration of 5 weeks, commencing from day 100 of gestation and concluding on day 21 postpartum. The results showed that supplemental feeding of 2 kg/t and 3 kg/t QZGSP to periparturient sows significantly improved reproductive performance to different degrees, as evidenced by the shortened farrowing intervals and increased average daily feed intake and milk yield. Supplemental feeding of 2 kg/t and/or 3 kg/t QZGSP significantly elevated levels of IL-4, IL-10, IgG, and IgA in sow serum while reduced levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in sow serum. In addition, supplemental feeding of 2 kg/t and 3 kg/t QZGSP to perinatal sows significantly increased the protein and fat content in colostrum and milk. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data in colostrum and milk microbiota revealed that supplemental feeding of QZGSP to perinatal sows is influenced the composition of colostrum and milk composition in sows. Specifically, at the genus level, a decrease in the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus was observed in the TRT3 and/or TRT4 groups on day 0 of lactation. The findings from this study indicate that supplemental feeding of 2 kg/t and 3 kg/t QZGSP significantly improved the reproductive performance, immunity and milk quality in sows. Therefore, QZGSP is a beneficial feed additive for perinatal sows.

Atractylodin modulates ASAH3L to improve galactose metabolism and inflammation to alleviate acute lung injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a lung disease characterized by an excessive inflammatory response and damage to lung epithelial cells. Atractylodin (ATL) has good anti-inflammatory activity and protects the integrity of the epithelial cell barrier. However, the efficacy of ATL in the treatment of ALI and its mechanism is unclear. We investigated the efficacy of ATL in treating ALI and explored its targets and mechanisms. The results showed that ATL significantly reduced the wet-dry ratio of lungs of rats with ALI, improved the pathological changes, and lowered the expression of the inflammatory factors. Combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses showed that ATL can reduce inflammation by inhibiting and activating the HIF-1 signaling pathway and modulating ASAH3L to improve galactose metabolism, thereby alleviating ALI. In conclusion, ATL may be a potential drug for the treatment of acute lung injury.

Huang Qin decoction increases SLC6A4 expression and blocks the NFκB-mediated NLRP3/Caspase1/GSDMD pathway to disrupt colitis-associated carcinogenesis

Huang Qin decoction (HQD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula for treating colitis, but the effects and molecular mechanism of action of HQD in colitis-associated carcinogenesis (CAC) are still unclear. Therefore, we aimed to determine the beneficial effects of HQD on CAC in mice and to reveal the underlying mechanism involved. AOM/DSS was used to induce CAC in mice, and the effects of HQD on tumorigenesis in mice were examined (with mesalazine serving as a positive control). Mesalazine or HQD treatment alleviated body weight loss and decreased the disease activity index in mice induced by AOM/DSS. Mesalazine or HQD treatment also suppressed the shortening of colon tissue length, the number of tumors, and the infiltration of inflammatory cells. The genes targeted by HQD were predicted and verified, followed by knockout experiments. Elevated SLC6A4 and inhibited serotonin production and inflammation were observed in HQD-treated mice. HQD inhibited the NFκB and NLRP3/caspase1/GSDMD pathways. The therapeutic effect of HQD was diminished in SLC6A4-deficient AOM/DSS mice. Additionally, the downregulation of SLC6A4 mitigated the inhibitory effect of HQD-containing serum on MODE-K cell pyroptosis. Our findings suggest that SLC6A4 is a pivotal regulator of HQD-alleviated CAC via its modulation of the NLRP3/caspase1/GSDMD pathway.