Yinchenhao Decoction Protects Against Acute Liver Injury in Mice With Biliary Acute Pancreatitis by Regulating the Gut Microflora–Bile Acids–Liver Axis

Abstract

Background and Aims: Acute liver injury (ALI) often follows biliary acute pancreatitis (BAP), but the exact cause and effective treatment are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the gut microflora–bile acids–liver axis in BAP‐ALI in mice and to assess the potential therapeutic effects of Yinchenhao decoction (YCHD), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine formula, on BAP‐ALI.Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were allocated into three groups: negative control (NC), BAP model, and YCHD treatment groups. The severity of BAP‐ALI, intrahepatic bile acid levels, and the gut microbiota were assessed 24 h after BAP‐ALI induction in mice.Results: Our findings demonstrated that treatment with YCHD significantly ameliorated the severity of BAP‐ALI, as evidenced by the mitigation of hepatic histopathological changes and a reduction in liver serum enzyme levels. Moreover, YCHD alleviated intrahepatic cholestasis and modified the composition of bile acids, as indicated by a notable increase in conjugated bile acids. Additionally, 16S rDNA sequencing analysis of the gut microbiome revealed distinct alterations in the richness and composition of the microbiome in BAP‐ALI mice compared to those in control mice. YCHD treatment effectively improved the intestinal flora disorders induced by BAP‐ALI. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed a significant association between the distinct compositional characteristics of the intestinal microbiota and the intrahepatic bile acid concentration.Conclusions: These findings imply a potential link between gut microbiota dysbiosis and intrahepatic cholestasis in BAP‐ALI mice and suggest that YCHD treatment may confer protection against BAP‐ALI via the gut microflora–bile acids–liver axis.