Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus improves production performance and egg quality of laying breeder hens by regulating reproductive hormones, antioxidant function, immunity and intestinal health.

Alpiniae oxyphylla fructus was extensively utilized both as dietary supplements and traditional herbal medicines for healthcare functions and has exhibited a positive impact on animal health. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Alpiniae oxyphyllae fructus powder (AOP) on production performance, egg quality, egg yolk fatty acid composition, reproductive hormones, antioxidant capacity, immunity, anti-apoptosis ability, and intestinal health in hens. A total of 252 Hainan Wenchang laying hens (30-wk-old) were randomly divided into 3 groups with 6 replicates, a basic diet with 0 (CON), 1 g/kg AOP (AOP1), and 3 g/kg (AOP3) mixed AOP. The AOP supplementation was found to decrease the feed conversion ratio and embryo mortality but to increase the laying rate, average egg weight, and oviduct index linearly (p < 0.05). Furthermore, AOP treatment reduced the total saturated fatty acids and palmitic acid (C16:0) in the egg yolk while increasing eggshell strength, albumen height, and Haugh unit (p < 0.05). The serum levels of albumin and phosphorus were increased, whereas total cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose levels decreased as a result of AOP treatment (p < 0.05). The inclusion of 3 g/kg AOP had higher 17 ß-estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone levels in serum, while it up-regulated follicle-stimulating hormone receptor and gonadotropin-releasing hormone expression in ovary (p < 0.05). Dietary AOP strengthened the expression of nuclear factor erythroid2-related factor 2 in ovary and increased the activity of superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity, but had a lower malondialdehyde content in serum (p < 0.05). AOP at 3 g/kg up-regulated superoxide dismutase 1 and heme oxygenase 1 expression in jejunum and ovary (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, AOP supplementation down-regulated p53 expression in ovary and bcl-2-associated x expression in liver and jejunum, especially 3 g/kg of AOP had lower caspase-8 concentrations and down-regulated bcl-2-associated x and caspase-3 expression in ovary (p < 0.05). AOP treatment increased serum levels of immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin M and upregulated interleukin-4 expression in the liver, while decreasing interleukin-1ß expression in liver and ovary and nod-like receptor protein 3 expression in jejunum (p < 0.05). Dietary AOP increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth but decreased crypt depth in jejunum, especially when 1 g/kg AOP increased expression levels of occludin, mucin-2, peptide-transporter 1, and sodium glucose cotransporter 1 in jejunum (p < 0.05). AOP treatment altered the composition of the cecal microbial community, as evidenced by increased abundance of Oscillospira and Phascolarctobacterium and reduced richness of Clostridiaceae_Clostridium. Dietary AOP supplementation enriched lipid, amino acid, and propanoate metabolism. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that the genera Oscillospira, Blautia, and Megasphaera were related to laying performance and intestinal integrity. In brief, supplementation of AOP, especially at 3 g/kg, could improve production performance and egg quality of hens via modulating reproductive hormones, antioxidant capacity, immunity, intestinal barrier, and cecal microbiota. Overall, the present work recommends the dietary inclusion of AOP as a beneficial additive for improving the performance of hens.

Dietary Chinese herbal mixture supplementation improves production performance by regulating reproductive hormones, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and intestinal health of broiler breeders.

Chinese herbs have been used as feed additives and are commonly utilized in domestic intensive livestock farming. However, their impact on the production performance and intestinal health of broiler breeders has yet to be thoroughly explored. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a Chinese herbal mixture (CHM) on the production performance of broiler breeders in terms of reproductive hormones, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and intestinal health of broiler breeders. A total of 336 thirty-wk-old hens were randomly allotted to 4 groups with 6 replicates of fourteen hens each, which fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 (CON), 500 (CHM500), 1,000 (CHM1000), and 1,500 (CHM1500) mg/kg CHM for 56 days, respectively. Our results showed that dietary supplementation with CHM1000 increased the laying rate and number of SYF and decreased the feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). All CHM groups increased oviduct and ovarian indexes, serum E2 and T-AOC levels, and decreased serum TG and MDA levels compared with CON (P < 0.05). In comparison to the CON group, the CHM1000 and CHM1500 groups increased serum ALB, IgM, and IL-10 levels, whereas the CHM1000 group also increased serum TP and SOD levels, and the CHM1500 group increased serum P and decreased serum TNF-α (P < 0.05). The addition of CHM increased FSHR expressions in the ovary, Claudin-1 expressions in the jejunum, and SOD1 expressions in the liver and ovary, but decreased the mRNA expressions of INH in the ovary as well as IL-2 and IL-6 expressions in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Moreover, CHM500 and CHM1000 groups increased CAT, GPx, and HO-1 expression in the ovary, and SOD1 and GPx expression in the jejunum, while decreasing IL-17A expression in the jejunum (P < 0.05). In addition, CHM1000 and CHM1500 groups increased villus height, VCR, and the mRNA expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, Occludin, and MUC2 in the jejunum, and IL-10 expression in the ovary, while decreasing IL-2 and IL-17A expression in the ovary, in addition to increasing GPx, Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, and IL-10 expression in the liver (P < 0.05). Supplementation with CHM1000 increased ESR-α, ESR-ß, GnRH, Nrf2, and NQO1 expression in the ovary, but decreased IFN-γ expression in the ovary as well as crypt depth in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Supplementing CHM1500 increased NQO1 and ZO-1 expression in the jejunum and decreased IL-2 in the liver (P < 0.05). The high-throughput sequencing results showed that dietary CHM1000 supplementation altered the composition of the intestinal microbiota, as evidenced by the regulation of the genera Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, and Phascolarctobacterium. PICRUSt analysis revealed that metabolic pathways of bacterial chemotaxis, butanoate metabolism, and synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies were enriched in the CHM1000 group. Spearman's correlation analysis indicated that the differentiated genera were significantly associated with the production performance, serum hormone, and gut barrier-related genes. Taken together, supplementation of CHM, especially at 1,000 mg/kg, could improve production performance by regulating reproductive hormones, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and intestinal health of broiler breeders, and maybe provide insights into its application as a potential feed additive to promote the performance of broiler breeders.

High dose Vitamin C inhibits PD-L1 by ROS-pSTAT3 signal pathway and enhances T cell function in TNBC.

Vitamin C (VitC) presents excellent anti-tumor effect for long time. Recently, high dose VitC achieved by intravenous administration manifests superior anti-tumor effect. However, the functions and detailed mechanisms of high dose VitC's role in cancer immunity are not fully understood. This study investigates the effect of high dose VitC on PD-L1 expression in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and the potential mechanism. Results showed VitC inhibited PD-L1 expression in breast cancer cell lines and enhanced anti-tumor effects of T cells. Furthermore, we found VitC inhibited PD-L1 transcription through ROS-pSTAT3 signal pathways. Consistent with in vitro results, in vivo study showed VitC suppressed tumor growth in immunocompetent mice and enhanced CD8+ T cells infiltration and function in tumor microenvironment. Our findings identify the effects of high dose VitC on PD-L1 expression and provide a rationale for the use of high dose VitC as immunomodulator for cancer therapy.

Atomic-Level Structural Differences between Fe(III) Coprecipitates Generated by the Addition of Fe(III) Coagulants and by the Oxidation of Fe(II) Coagulants Determine Their Coagulation Behavior in Phosphate and DOM Removal.

In situ Fe(III) coprecipitation from Fe2+ oxidation is a widespread phenomenon in natural environments and water treatment processes. Studies have shown the superiority of in situ Fe(III) (formed by in situ oxidation of a Fe(II) coagulant) over ex situ Fe(III) (using a Fe(III) coagulant directly) in coagulation, but the reasons remain unclear due to the uncertain nature of amorphous structures. Here, we utilized an in situ Fe(III) coagulation process, oxidizing the Fe(II) coagulant by potassium permanganate (KMnO4), to treat phosphate-containing surface water and analyzed differences between in situ and ex situ Fe(III) coagulation in phosphate removal, dissolved organic matter (DOM) removal, and floc growth. Compared to ex situ Fe(III), flocs formed by the natural oxidizing Fe2+ coagulant exhibited more effective phosphate removal. Furthermore, in situ Fe(III) formed through accelerated oxidation by KMnO4 demonstrated improved flocculation behavior and enhanced removal of specific types of DOM by forming a more stable structure while still maintaining effective phosphate removal. Fe K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra (EXAFS) of the flocs explained their differences. A short-range ordered strengite-like structure (corner-linked PO4 tetrahedra to FeO6 octahedra) was the key to more effective phosphorus removal of in situ Fe(III) than ex situ Fe(III) and was well preserved when KMnO4 accelerated in situ Fe(III) formation. Conversely, KMnO4 significantly inhibited the edge and corner coordination between FeO6 octahedra and altered the floc-chain-forming behavior by accelerating hydrolysis, resulting in a more dispersed monomeric structure than ex situ Fe(III). This research provides an explanation for the superiority of in situ Fe(III) in phosphorus removal and highlights the importance of atomic-level structural differences between ex situ and in situ Fe(III) coprecipitates in water treatment.

Effects of dietary polyherbal mixtures on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function and jejunal health of yellow-feathered broilers.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of polyherbal mixtures (PHM) on growth performance, antioxidant capacities, immune function, and intestinal health in yellow-feathered broilers. PHM is composed of five traditional Chinese medicine herbs (Portulaca oleracea L., Radix Sophora flavescens, Thalictrum glandulosissimum, Terra flava usta, and Pogostemon cablin). A total of 270 one-day-old yellow-feathered broilers were randomly allotted into 3 treatments for a 42-d feeding trial, each with 6 replicates of 15 birds. The dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet (CON), a basal diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg chlortetracycline (CTC), and a basal diet supplemented with 1000 mg/kg PHM. The results showed that dietary PHM supplementation increased body weight, ADG, and decreased F/G compared to the CON. PHM also increased spleen index and mRNA expression of IL-4 (d 21), and thymus index, serum IgA (d 42) and IgG, IL-4 and sIgA in jejunal mucosa (d 21 and 42), but decreased serum IFN-γ and mRNA expression of IFN-γ (d 21 and 42). In addition, PHM increased serum SOD, GSH-Px (d 21 and 42) and T-AOC (d 42), but decreased the content of serum MDA (d 21), the up-regulated mRNA expression of GSH-Px, CAT (d 21), SOD and CAT (d 42). Furthermore, PHM also improved the intestinal epithelial barrier indicators by the up-regulated mRNA expression of CLDN-1, OCLN (d 21 and 42) and ZO-1 (d 21), and the increased of villus height and villus height to crypt depth in jejunum (d 42). The high-throughput sequencing results showed that dietary PHM supplementation increased the alpha diversity and relative abundance of Oscillospira and Ruminococcus (d 21) and Lactobacillus (d 42), whereas decreasing that of Enterococcus (d 21) compared with CON. PICRUSt analysis revealed that metabolic pathways of carbohydrate, energy, lipid, cofactors, and vitamins were significantly enriched in the PHM group. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that the genera Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Ruminococcus, Oscillospira, and Faecalibacterium were related to growth performance, intestinal integrity, immune-related factors, antioxidant indices, and tight junction proteins. In conclusion, the results indicated that dietary PHM supplementation improved growth performance and immune status of yellow-feathered broilers by enhancing antioxidant capacities, barrier function, and modulated jejunal microbial communities. PHM used in our study has the potential to replace prophylactic antibiotic use in poultry production systems.

Combination of glycyrrhizic acid and compound probiotics alleviates deoxynivalenol-induced damage to weaned piglets.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) can affect health and growth performance of pigs, resulting in significant economic losses in swine production. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of glycyrrhizic acid combined with compound probiotics, i.e. Enterococcus faecalis plus Saccharomyces cerevisiae (GAP) on improving growth performance, intestinal health and its fecal microbiota composition change of piglets challenged with DON. A total of 160 42-day-old weaned piglets (Landrace × Large White) were used and the experimental period was 28 d. The results showed that supplementing GAP in the diet significantly improved the growth performance of piglets challenged with DON and alleviate DON-induced intestinal damage by reducing ALT, AST and LDH concentrations in serum, increasing the morphological parameters of jejunum, and decreasing DON residues in serum, liver and feces. Moreover, GAP could significantly decrease the expressions of inflammation and apoptosis genes and proteins (IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, COX-2, Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase 3), and increase the expressions of tight-junction proteins and nutrient transport factor genes and proteins (ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1, ASCT2 and PePT1). In addition, it was also found that GAP supplementation could significantly increase the diversity of gut microbiota, maintain microbial flora balance and promote piglet growth by significantly increasing the abundance of beneficial bacterium such as Lactobacillus and reducing the abundance of harmful bacterium such as Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1. In conclusion, GAP addition to piglet diets contaminated with DON could significantly promote the health and growth performance of piglets though alleviating DON-induced hazards. This study provided a theoretical basis for the application of GAP to alleviate DON toxicity for animals.

Transcriptome profiling Revealed the potential mechanisms of Shen Lin Bai Zhu San n-butanol extract on DSS induced Colitis in Mice and LC-MS analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disorder in gastrointestinal tract. Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (SLBZS), which has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been widely used to treat gastrointestinal diseases. The isolated fractions of TCM have also been proved to possess an important potential for treating diseases, which are due to their effective components. PURPOSE: In this study, we examined the possibility that SLBZS and its isolated active fractions may prevent DSS-induced colitis, and investigated the potential mechanisms by regulating genetic profile of colon. METHODS: Colitis mice were induced by 2.5% DSS for 7 days, and then SLBZS and different SLBZS extracts were administrated to protect the mice for 7 days. Body weight, diarrhea, bleeding in stool, colon length, spleen weight, cytokines of serum and colon and pathology of colon were assessed. The level of Ginsenoside Rg1, Re and Rb1 in different SLBZS extracts and qualitative analysis of n-butanol extract of SLBZS (S-Nb) was performed by HPLC and LC-MS, respectively. And the effects of S-Nb on the transcriptome in colitis were investigated. RESULTS: Our results showed that SLBZS and S-Nb significantly regained body weight, reduced DAI, splenomegaly and the length of colon and attenuated histological damage of the colon. Meanwhile, SLBZS and S-Nb markedly reduced the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 and increased the level of IL-10 in serum and colon. These effects may be associated with the high levels of Ginsenoside Rg1, Re and Rb1 and rich variety of compounds in S-Nb including 6 ginsenosides, glycyrrhizin, L-tryptophan, and so on. Transcriptome analysis revealed that S-Nb selectively regulated 103 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 36 of which were changed in DSS-induced mice. And the genes of Per2, Per3, Npy and Serpina3m were closely related to colitis and also restored by S-Nb with different extent. Remarkably, these DEGs modulated the biological functions of colitis mice, including extracellular region, response to external stimulus, MAPK signaling pathway and arginine and proline metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicated that SLBZS and S-Nb blunted DSS-induced colitis by modulating differentially expression gene profile and biological functions based on their ginsenosides and rich compounds.

Effects of dietary Chinese herbal mixtures on productive performance, egg quality, immune status, caecal and offspring meconial microbiota of Wenchang breeder hens.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Chinese herbal mixtures (CHMs) on productive performance, egg quality, immune status, anti-apoptosis ability, caecal microbiota, and offspring meconial microbiota in hens. A total of 168 thirty-week-old Wenchang breeder hens were randomly divided into two groups, with each group comprising six replicate pens of fourteen hens. The groups were fed a basal diet (CON group) and a basal diet with 1,000 mg/kg CHMs (CHMs group) for 10 weeks. Our results showed that dietary supplementation with CHMs increased the laying rate, average egg weight, hatch of fertile, and offspring chicks' weight while concurrently reducing the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and embryo mortality (p < 0.05). The addition of CHMs resulted in significant improvements in various egg quality parameters, including eggshell strength, albumen height, haugh unit, and the content of docosatetraenoic acid (C20:4n-6) in egg yolk (p < 0.05). The supplementation of CHMs had a greater concentration of IgA and IgG while decreasing the content of IL-6 in serum compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). Addition of CHMs to the diet increased the expression of Bcl-2 and IL-4 in liver and ovary, decreased the expression of IL-1ß, Bax, and Caspase-8 in jejunum and ovary, and decreased the expression of NF-κB in liver, jejunum, and ovary (p < 0.05). Moreover, dietary CHMs reduced the abundance of Desulfovibrio in caecal microbiota as well as decreased the abundance of Staphylococcaceae_Staphylococcus and Pseudomonadaceae_Pseudomonas in the offspring meconial microbiota (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the CHMs could improve productive parameters by enhancing immune status, anti-apoptosis capacity, and modulating the caecal microbiota of Wenchang breeder hens, as well as maintaining the intestinal health of the offspring chicks.

Glycyrrhizic Acid and Compound Probiotics Supplementation Alters the Intestinal Transcriptome and Microbiome of Weaned Piglets Exposed to Deoxynivalenol.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a widespread mycotoxin that affects the intestinal health of animals and humans. In the present study, we performed RNA-sequencing and 16S rRNA sequencing in piglets after DON and glycyrrhizic acid and compound probiotics (GAP) supplementation to determine the changes in intestinal transcriptome and microbiota. Transcriptome results indicated that DON exposure altered intestinal gene expression involved in nutrient transport and metabolism. Genes related to lipid metabolism, such as PLIN1, PLIN4, ADIPOQ, and FABP4 in the intestine, were significantly decreased by DON exposure, while their expressions were significantly increased after GAP supplementation. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that GAP supplementation promoted intestinal digestion and absorption of proteins, fats, vitamins, and other nutrients. Results of gut microbiota composition showed that GAP supplementation significantly improved the diversity of gut microbiota. DON exposure significantly increased Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacillus abundances and decreased Firmicutes, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus abundances; however, dietary supplementation with GAP observably recovered their abundances to normal. In addition, predictive functions by PICRUSt analysis showed that DON exposure decreased lipid metabolism, whereas GAP supplementation increased immune system. This result demonstrated that dietary exposure to DON altered the intestinal gene expressions related to nutrient metabolism and induced disturbances of intestinal microbiota, while supplementing GAP to DON-contaminated diets could improve intestinal health for piglets.

Transcriptome and metabolome reveal the accumulation of secondary metabolites in different varieties of Cinnamomum longepaniculatum.

BACKGROUND: Cinnamomum longepaniculatum (Gamble) N. Chao ex H. W. Li, whose leaves produce essential oils, is a traditional Chinese medicine and economically important tree species. In our study, two C. longepaniculatum varieties that have significantly different essential oil contents and leaf phenotypes were selected as the materials to investigate secondary metabolism. RESULT: The essential oil content and leaf phenotypes were different between the two varieties. When the results of both transcriptome and metabolomic analyses were combined, it was found that the differences were related to phenylalanine metabolic pathways, particularly the metabolism of flavonoids and terpenoids. The transcriptome results based on KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that pathways involving phenylpropanoids, tryptophan biosynthesis and terpenoids significantly differed between the two varieties; 11 DEGs (2 upregulated and 9 downregulated) were associated with the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, and 12 DEGs (2 upregulated and 10 downregulated) were related to the metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides. Through further analysis of the leaves, we detected 196 metabolites in C. longepaniculatum. The abundance of 49 (26 downregulated and 23 upregulated) metabolites differed between the two varieties, which is likely related to the differences in the accumulation of these metabolites. We identified 12 flavonoids, 8 terpenoids and 8 alkaloids and identified 4 kinds of PMFs from the leaves of C. longepaniculatum. CONCLUSIONS: The combined results of transcriptome and metabolomic analyses revealed a strong correlation between metabolite contents and gene expression. We speculate that light leads to differences in the secondary metabolism and phenotypes of leaves of different varieties of C. longepaniculatum. This research provides data for secondary metabolite studies and lays a solid foundation for breeding ideal C. longepaniculatum plants.

Comparative Evaluation of Forsythiae Fructus From Different Harvest Seasons and Regions by HPLC/NIR Analysis and Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Assays.

Forsythiae Fructus (FF), the dry fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl, has a long history of use in traditional Chinese Medicine for its heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. It possesses clinical therapeutic effects and biological functions showing efficacy in handling different diseases. To investigate the FF differences in Henan, Shanxi, and Shaanxi in August and October, the surface morphology, mid-infrared and near-infrared spectrums, and HPLC were analyzed. Concurrently, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on LPS-induced J774A.1 cells were evaluated by western blot and RT-qPCR. The results showed that FF from different Harvest Seasons and Regions are provided with different microstructures and mid-infrared and near-infrared spectrums, and the levels of forsythiaside A and phillyrin of FF from Shanxi in August and phillygenin of FF from Shaanxi in August were the highest. Meanwhile, FF from Shanxi and Shaanxi in August markedly reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines and mediators (TNF-α, IL-1ß, NF-κB, and iNOS) and the protein expression levels of phosphorylated total IKKα/ß and nuclear NF-κB. In August, SXFF and SAXFF also promoted the mRNA expression levels of HO-1 and NQO1 and the protein expression levels of HO-1 and nuclear Nrf2 and suppressed the protein expression levels of KEAP1. Spearman correlation analysis showed that phillygenin had a strong correlation with the protein expression on LPS-induced J774A.1 cells. In summary, our results showed that FF from harvest seasons and regions contributed to the distinct differences in microstructure, the mid-infrared and near-infrared spectrums, and compound content. More importantly, FF from Shanxi and Shaanxi in August showed marked anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, but with some differences, which may be because of different contents of phillygenin and phillyrin of lignans in FF.

Effect of curcumin on laying performance, egg quality, endocrine hormones, and immune activity in heat-stressed hens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of curcumin on laying performance, egg quality, biochemical indicators, hormone levels, and immune activity in hens under heat stress. Hy-Line brown hens (280-day-old) were fed with 0, 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg of curcumin during a 42-D experiment. Compared with the control treatment, supplementation with 150 mg/kg of curcumin improved laying performance and egg quality by significantly increasing egg production, eggshell thickness, eggshell strength (P < 0.01), and albumen height (P < 0.05) while decreasing the feed-to-egg ratio. Antioxidant activity was improved by significantly increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase but decreasing malondialdehyde levels in serum (P < 0.05) and significantly increasing the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, IgG, IgA, and complement C3 activity in serum (P < 0.05). These results indicated that supplemental 150 mg/kg curcumin can improve productive performance, antioxidant enzyme activity, and immune function in laying hens under the heat stress conditions applied in the present study.

The effect of RHIZOMA COPTIDIS and COPTIS CHINENSIS aqueous extract on radiation-induced skin injury in a rat model.

BACKGROUND: Radiation-induced skin injury is a common complication of radiotherapy. The RHIZOMA COPTIDIS and COPTIS CHINENSIS aqueous extract (RCE) can ameliorate radiation-induced skin injury in our clinical observation. But, the protective mechanism of RHIZOMA COPTIDIS and COPTIS CHINENSIS in radiation-induced skin injury remains unclear. METHODS: In this experiment, we developed a radiation-induced skin injury rat model to study the mechanism. The animals were randomly divided into control group, treatment group, radiation group, and treatment and radiation group. 5 rats in each group were separately executed on 2 d and 49 d post-radiation. The semi-quantitative skin injury score was used to measure skin reactions by unblinded observers, and hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to evaluate the damage areas by irradiation. The MDA content, SOD activity of skin and serum were measured to detect the oxidative stress. RESULTS: Acute skin reactions were caused by a single dose of 45 Gy of ß-ray irradiation, and the skin injury could be found in all rats receiving irradiation based on the observation of HE staining of skin at different time-points, while RCE could significantly ameliorate those changes. The MDA content in serum and skin of control rats was 4.13±0.12 mmol/ml and 4.95±0.35 mmol/mgprot on 2 d post-radiation. The rats receiving radiation showed an increased content of MDA (5.54±0.21 mmol/ml and 7.10±0.32 mmol/mgprot), while it was 4.57±0.21 mmol/ml and 5.95±0.24 mmol/mgprot after treated with RCE (p<0.05). Similar changes of the MDA content could be seen on 49 d post-radiation. However, the SOD activity of rats receiving radiation decreased compared with control group on both time-points, which was inhibited by RCE (p<0.05). Meanwhile, no valuable changes could be found between control group and treatment group on 2 d and 49 d. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidences for the radioprotective role of RCE against radiation-induced skin damage in rats by modulating oxidative stress in skin, which may be a useful therapy for radiation-induced skin injury.