The effect of compound Xiongdanyinchen granules on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in rats with metabolism-associated fatty liver disease based on "entero-brain axis" / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To study the effects of compound Xiongdanyinchen granules(CXG)on intestines, brain and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis in rats with metabolism-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).Methods:50 SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group(normal rats fed with basic feed), model control group(MAFLD model rats fed with normal saline replacing CXG), intragastricly CXG-treated groups with doses of(4.73 g·kg -1·d -1)for low dose group, (18.92 g·kg -1·d -1)for medium dose group, and(9.46 g·kg -1·d -1)for high dose group for 4 weeks.All groups rats were sampled, and rat liver, colon and hypothalamic tissues were stained by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)for observing pathological changes.Fluorescence-based real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and immunohistochemical detection were used for detecting the colon and hypothalamus to see levels of adreno-corticotropic hormone releasing hormone(CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH)and cortisol(CORT)expression. Results:HE staining showed that the fat vacuoles of liver cells were reduced in CXG group.As compared with the model control group, CXG group showed the hepatic cords were arranged neatly and the hepatic lobules were clearly visible, with significantly improved signs.As compared with the model control group, the CXG group showed that the structure of each layer of the colon wall was basically orderly, and the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the submucosa was reduced, which showed significant improvement.The hypothalamic nerve cell edema and solid shrinkage were reduced in CXG group.The results of quantitative PCR showed that as compared with the model control group, the proteins expression of CRH, ACTH and CORT in colon tissues were decreased in medium-dose and high-dose CXG group(all P<0.05), and the proteins expression of CRH, CORT and ACTH in hypothalamus tissues were decreased(all P<0.05)in high-dose CXG group.Immunohistochemical results showed that CXG could reduce the proteins expression of CRH, ACTH and CORT in colon tissue and hypothalamus tissue(all P<0.05). Conclusions:Compound Xiongdanyinchen granules can reduce liver tissue injury and intestinal inflammatory response, improve intestinal mucosal barrier, reduce hypothalamic nerve cell swelling and necrosis, and reduce the secretion of CRH, ACTH and CORT in colon and hypothalamus of MAFLD rats.These results suggest that the mechanism of action of compound Xiongdanyinchen granules in treating MAFLD may be related to the reduce dysfunction of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis.