Protective effect of phellodendrine on bacterial vaginosis mice / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the impact of phellodendrine on treating bacterial vaginosis (BV) mice. Methods BV model mice were induced by vaginal injecting with EPEC and MRSA. After the mice in control and model groups being administrated with phellodendrine (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) for 7 d, the mice were sacrificed under deep anesthesia. The mice vaginal pathology changes were observed using HE staining method. IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α secretion in vagina and PGE2, PGF2α levels in uterus were detected using ELISA assay. Uterine MMP-9, TLR4, and NF-κB expression levels were measured using western blotting. Results Vaginal pathology changes were improved by phellodendrine. Specifically, phellodendrine could reduce IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α secretion in vagina, it could also reduce PGE2 and PGF2α content, and inhibit MMP-9, TLR4, and NF-κB expression levels in uterus tissue. Conclusion Phellodendrine could effectively treat BV and reduce the rise of pre-term birth by simultaneously inhibiting endovaginal inflammatory response and regulating intrauterine TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway in BV mice.