Mechanism of Shuganjiangzhuo tablets against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease based on gut microbiota and TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway

AimTo explore the mechanism of Shuganjiangzhuo tablets against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)based on gut microbiota and TLR4/MyD88/NF- κB signaling pathway.MethodsNAFLD mice model was established by high-fat feeding, and intervened with 652. 3 mg·kg-1·d-1 Shuganjiangzhuo tablets. Body weight, liver weight, liver index, the biochemical indicators and liver function of serum and liver were measured. Liver pathology was observed through HE staining and oil red O staining. LPS content detection in the liver, intestines and serum were measured using ELISA. The expression levels of intestinal tight junction protein and liver TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway related factors were assessed using RT-qPCR and Western blot. The changes of intestinal flora in mice were analyzed using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing.ResultsShuganjiangzhuo tablets could reduce the body weight, liver weight, liver index of NAFLD mice, mitigate hepatic vacuolization, lipid deposition, and inflammatory infiltration, leading to improvements in serum and hepatic lipid levels and hepatic function, lowering of the LPS levels of liver, intestines and serum, down-regulation of the hepatic TLR/MyD88/ NF-κB pathway, and modulation of the mRNA and protein expression levels of colon ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin. Shuganjiangzhuo tablets positively influenced the diversity and abundance of intestinal flora in NAFLD mice, reduced the abundance of the Firmicutes while increased the presence of Bacteriodetes and Lactobacillus.ConclusionsShuganjiangzhuo tablets exhibite lipid-lowering and liver-protecting effects in NAFLD mice, and the mechanism may be related to maintaining gut microbiota homeostasis and regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.