Banxia Xiexin decoction alleviates AS co-depression disease by regulating the gut microbiome-lipid metabolic axis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Banxia Xiexin decoction (BXD) is a classic Chinese herbal formulation consisting of 7 herbs including Pinelliae Rhizoma, Scutellariae Radix, Zingiberis Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Coptidis Rhizoma, and Jujubae Fructus, which can exert effects on lowering lipids and alleviating depressive mood disorders via affecting gastrointestinal tract. AIM OF THE STUDY: The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (AS) co-depression disease has not been well studied, and the current clinical treatment strategies are not satisfactory. As a result, it is critical to find novel methods of treatment. Based on the hypothesis that the gut microbiome may promote the development of AS co-depression disease by regulating host lipid metabolism, this study sought to evaluate the effectiveness and action mechanism of BXD in regulation of the gut microbiome via an intervention in AS co-depression mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To determine the primary constituents of BXD, UPLC-Q/TOF-MS analysis was carried out. Sixteen C56BL/6 mice were fed normal chow as a control group; 64 ApoE-/- mice were randomized into four groups (model group and three treatment groups) and fed high-fat chow combined with daily bind stimulation for sixteen weeks to develop the AS co-depression mouse model and were administered saline or low, medium or high concentrations of BXD during the experimental modeling period. The antidepressant efficacy of BXD was examined by weighing, a sucrose preference test, an open field test, and a tail suspension experiment. The effectiveness of BXD as an anti-AS treatment was evaluated by means of biochemical indices, the HE staining method, and the Oil red O staining method. The impacts of BXD on the gut microbiome structure and brain (hippocampus and prefrontal cortex tissue) lipids in mice with the AS co-depression model were examined by 16S rDNA sequencing combined with lipidomics analysis. RESULTS: The main components of BXD include baicalin, berberine, ginsenoside Rb1, and 18 other substances. BXD could improve depression-like behavioral characteristics and AS-related indices in AS co-depression mice; BXD could regulate the abundance of some flora (phylum level: reduced abundance of Proteobacteria and Deferribacteres; genus level: reduced abundance of Clostridium_IV, Helicobacter, and Pseudoflavonifractor, Acetatifactor, Oscillibacter, which were significantly different). The lipidomics analysis showed that the differential lipids between the model and gavaged high-dose BXD (BXH) groups were enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism, and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC(20:3)(rep)(rep)) in the hippocampus and LPC(20:4)(rep) in the prefrontal cortex both showed downregulation in BXH. The correlation analysis illustrated that the screened differential lipids were mainly linked to Deferribacteres and Actinobacteria. CONCLUSION: BXD may exert an anti-AS co-depression therapeutic effect by modulating the abundance of some flora and thus intervening in peripheral lipid and brain lipid metabolism (via downregulation of LPC levels).

[Effect of daqingye on EP3 mRNA expression of hypothalamus in IL-1beta-induced rabbits].

AIM: To study the antipyretic effect and mechanism of Daqingye injection (DQYI). METHODS: The IL-1beta-induced febrile New Zealand rabbits were chosen as experimental models and the antipyretic effect of DQYI was observed. The expression of EP3 mRNA was investigated by using in situ hybridization (ISH) in POAH. RESULTS: First, the colonic temperature went up gradually after intravenous(i.v) IL-1beta. The peak value of temperature(deltaT) and thermal response index (TRI(1)) in IL-1beta-treated group were higher than those in control group (P<0.01). The DeltaT and TRI(1) of in DQYI and IL-1beta- treated group were lower than those in IL-1beta-treated group (P<0.05). The temperature of DQYI-treated group showed no distinguished difference compared with that in control group (P>0.05). Second, the expression of EP3 mRNA in the POAH of IL- 1beta-treated group increased markedly compared with that in control group (P<0.01). The expression of EP3 mRNA treated by IL-1beta+DQYI in the POAH decreased strikingly compared with that in IL-1beta group(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: DQYI has distinct antipyretic effect on IL-1beta-induced fever. The mechanism might be the inhibition of EP3 mRNA expression in POAH from rabbits.