Affiliation:
1. School of Nursing, Jinan University, No. 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
2. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, No. 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
3. Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Jinan University, No. 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
4. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, No. 613 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
Abstract
We evaluate the effects of the Chaihu-Shugan-San decoction on intestinal microbe dysbiosis and chronic metabolic inflammation via the NLRP3 pathway in NAFLD rats that were fed a high-fat diet. Twenty-four SD rats (male, six weeks old, 200 ± 20 g) were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (NC group), high-fat diet-fed group (HFD group), and Chaihu-Shugan-San decoction intervention group (CH group). The NC group rats were given standard feed, the HFD group rats were all fed a high-fat diet (83% standard feed + 10% lard oil + 5% sucrose + 1.5% cholesterol + 0.5% cholate), and the CH group rats were given a HFD plus Chaihu-Shugan-San at 9.6 g•kg−1•d−1. Body composition, serum and liver lipids, inflammatory markers, intestinal microbial population, and the NLRP3 pathway-associated protein were assessed. The results showed that Chaihu-Shugan-San decoction significantly reduced body weight and total fat mass and the levels of serum LPS, TG, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18, as well as liver TC, TG, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18 (P <0.05). The abundance of Enterobacteriaceae (0.375% versus 0.064%,P< 0.05), Staphylococcaceae families (0.049% versus 0.016%,P< 0.05) andVeillonellagenus (0.096% versus 0.009%,P <0.01) significantly decreased, whereas the abundance ofAnaeroplasmagenus (0.0005% versus 0.0178%,P <0.01) significantly increased. The expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1 were changed significantly (P< 0.05). In summary, the Chaihu-Shugan-San decoction modulated intestinal microbe dysbiosis, reduced fat accumulation, and alleviated inflammatory factor expression, which are all processes related to the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in NAFLD rats.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Subject
Complementary and alternative medicine