Yinlai Decoction Protects Microstructure of Colon and Regulates Serum Level of D-Lactic Acid in Pneumonia Mice Fed with High-Calorie and High-Protein Diet

Objective To investigate the effect of Yinlai Decoction(YD)on the microstructure of colon,and activity of D-lactic acid(DLA)and diamine oxidase(DAO)in serum of pneumonia mice model fed with high-calorie and high-protein diet(HCD).Methods Sixty male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 6 groups by the random number table method:normal control,pneumonia,HCD,HCD with pneumonia(HCD-P),YD(229.2 mg/mL),and dexamethasone(15.63 mg/mL)groups,with 10 in each group.HCD mice were fed with 52%milk solution by gavage.Pneumonia mice was modeled with lipopolysaccharide inhalation and was fed by gavage with either the corresponding therapeutic drugs or saline water,twice daily,for 3 days.After hematoxylin-eosin staining,the changes in the colon structure were observed under light microscopy and transmission electron microscope,respectively.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the protein levels of DLA and DAO in the serum of mice.Results The colonic mucosal structure and ultrastructure of mice in the normal control group were clear and intact.The colonic mucosal goblet cells in the pneumonia group tended to increase,and the size of the microvilli varied.In the HCD-P group,the mucosal goblet cells showed a marked increase in size with increased secretory activity.Loose mucosal epithelial connections were also observed,as shown by widened intercellular gaps with short sparse microvilli.These pathological changes of intestinal mucosa were significantly reduced in mouse models with YD treatment,while there was no significant improvement after dexamethasone treatment.The serum DLA level was significantly higher in the pneumonia,HCD,and HCD-P groups as compared with the normal control group(P<0.05).Serum DLA was significantly lower in the YD group than HCD-P group(P<0.05).Moreover,serum DLA level significantly increased in the dexamethasone group as compared with the YD group(P<0.01).There was no statistical significance in the serum level of DAO among groups(P>0.05).Conclusions YD can protect function of intestinal mucosa by improving the tissue morphology of intestinal mucosa and maintaining integrity of cell connections and microvilli structure,thereby reducing permeability of intestinal mucosa to regulate the serum levels of DLA in mice.

Protective Effects of Traditional Tibetan Medicine Zuo-Mu-A Decoction(佐木阿汤)on the Blood Parameters and Myocardium of High Altitude Polycythemia Model Rats

Objective: To explore the protective effects of Tibetan medicine Zuo-Mu-A Decoction(佐木阿汤, ZMAD) on the blood parameters and myocardium of high altitude polycythemia(HAPC) model rats. Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups by a random number table, including the normal, model, Rhodiola rosea L.(RRL) and ZMAD groups(10 in each group). Every group was raised in Lhasa to create a HAPC model except the normal group. After modeling, rats in the RRL and the ZMAD groups were administered intragastrically with RRL(20 mL/kg) and ZMAD(7.5 mL/kg) once a day for 2 months, respectively; for the normal and the model groups, 5 mL of distilled water was administered intragastrically instead of decoction. Then routine blood and hematologic rheology parameters were taken, levels of erythropoietin and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine(8-OHd G) were tested, and ultrastructural change in the left ventricular myocardium was observed using transmission electron microscopy. Results: Compared with the model group, ZMAD significantly reduced the red blood cell count, hemoglobin levels, whole blood viscosity at low/middle shear rates, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte electrophoretic time, erythropoietin and 8-OHd G levels, and also increased the erythrocyte deformation index(P<0.05). There was no difference in all results between the RRL and the ZMAD groups. The cardiac muscle fibers were well-protected, mitochondrial matrix swelled mildly and ultrastructure changes were less prominent in the ZMAD group compared with the model group. Conclusion: ZMAD has significant protective effects on the blood parameters against HAPC, and also has the beneficial effect in protecting against myocardial injury.