基于肠道微生物组学探究苍术花椒药 对改善小鼠溃疡性结肠炎作用

Exploring the Effect of Atractylodis Rhizoma-Zanthoxyli Pericarpium Herb Pairs on Improving Ulcerative Colitis in Mice Based on Gut Microbiomics

摘要: 目的：探讨苍术–花椒药对对葡聚糖硫酸钠(DSS)诱导的结肠炎小鼠的治疗作用及机制，明确其对临床症状、肠道炎症、菌群稳态的调控，为临床应用提供理论依据。方法：采用3% (w/v) DSS诱导小鼠溃疡性结肠炎模型。将小鼠随机分为空白对照组、模型组、阳性对照组、苍术组、花椒组、苍术–花椒药对高中低剂量组。给药结束后，以腹泻指标与肠道菌群特征为依据，评价苍术–花椒药对对溃疡性结肠炎的治疗作用。结果：DSS成功诱导UC小鼠模型，表现为结肠缩短、促炎因子水平升高及肠道菌群多样性下降、厚壁菌门/拟杆菌门比值失衡、关键菌科(Muribaculaceae、Lachnospiraceae)丰度紊乱。苍术–花椒高剂量组可显著改善UC小鼠结肠长度与炎症因子水平，效果与柳氮磺吡啶(SASP)相当且优于单药组；同时可有效逆转肠道菌群多样性与结构失衡，回调关键菌科丰度，呈现显著的配伍协同效应。结论：苍术–花椒药对可有效治疗DSS诱导的UC小鼠，其作用机制与调控肠道菌群多样性、改善菌群组成失衡密切相关，为UC的中医药临床治疗提供了实验依据。

Abstract: Objective: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of Atractylodis Rhizoma-Zanthoxyli Pericarpium herb pair on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, clarify its regulatory effects on clinical symptoms, intestinal inflammation and gut microbiota homeostasis, and provide a theoretical basis for its clinical application. Methods: A mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC) was established by administration of 3% (w/v) DSS. Mice were randomly divided into blank control group, model group, positive control group, Atractylodis Rhizoma group, Zanthoxyli Pericarpium group, and high, medium and low dose groups of Atractylodis Rhizoma-Zanthoxyli Pericarpium herb pair. After the treatment period, the therapeutic effect of the herb pair on UC was evaluated according to diarrhea-related indices and gut microbiota characteristics. Results: DSS successfully induced UC in mice, characterized by shortened colon, elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, decreased gut microbiota diversity, an imbalanced ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, and disturbed abundances of key bacterial families (Muribaculaceae, Lachnospiraceae). The high-dose Atractylodis Rhizoma-Zanthoxyli Pericarpium herb pair group significantly ameliorated colon length and inflammatory cytokine levels in UC mice, with an efficacy comparable to that of sulfasalazine (SASP) and superior to the single-herb groups. Meanwhile, it effectively reversed the imbalance in gut microbiota diversity and structure, restored the abundances of key bacterial families, and exhibited a significant synergistic effect of the herb combination. Conclusion: The Atractylodis Rhizoma-Zanthoxyli Pericarpium herb pair effectively alleviated DSS-induced UC in mice. Its mechanism is closely associated with the regulation of gut microbiota diversity and the improvement of microbial compositional imbalance, providing experimental evidence for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of UC.