RESUMO
OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of modified Xianfang huoming decoction in the treatment of sepsis- induced liver injury from the perspective of gut microbiota and metabolites. METHODS Sixty SD rats were divided into blank group （normal saline）， model group （normal saline）， positive control drug group （Dexamethasone tablet， 5.0 mg/kg）， modified Xianfang huoming decoction high-dose， middle-dose and low-dose groups （6.0， 3.0， 1.5 g/kg， calculated by crude drug） according to equilibrium-partitioning approach of body mass， with 10 rats in each group. They were given relevant drug/normal saline 10 mL/ kg， once a day， for consecutive 14 days. After the last medication， except for blank group， other groups were given intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide 10 mg/kg to induce sepsis model. Twelve hours after modeling， serum levels of inflammatory indexes in rats [interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， IL-6， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）] and liver function indicators [total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， aspartate transaminase （AST）， alanine transaminase （ALT）] were detected. The changes of gut microbiota and liver metabolites in rats were analyzed by 16S rRNA technology and liver metabolomics. RESULTS Modified Xianfang huoming decoction could significantly improve the indexes of serum inflammatory indexes and liver function in rats with sepsis-induced liver injury （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； there was a significant callback effect on the relative abundance of 11 genera of bacteria （such as Akkermansia， Lactobacillus and Bilophila） among the 5 dominant phyla（P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Twelve metabolites related to liver injury caused by sepsis were identified， such as glycine cholic acid， phosphatidylcholine， taurine （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， mainly involving glycerol phospholipid metabolism， purine metabolism and primary bile acid metabolism. CONC LUSIONS Modified Xianfang huoming decoction can improve liver injury induced by sepsis by regulating gut microbiota and liver metabolites.