Guo Meifang, Di Jiaxin, Lei Zhijun
School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2025 Jun 2;15:1608271. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1608271. eCollection 2025.
This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of sodium propionate in combination with Sishen Pill in the treatment of diarrhea with kidney-yang deficiency syndrome in mice, with a focus on its influence on intestinal microbiota, enzyme activity, and associated therapeutic outcomes.
A model of diarrhea with kidney-yang deficiency syndrome was established via adenine combined with administration. The model group was randomly assigned to the following treatment groups: natural recovery group, 100% Sishen Pill group, 75% Sishen Pill + 60 mg/kg sodium propionate group, 50% Sishen Pill + 120 mg/kg sodium propionate group, 25% Sishen Pill + 240 mg/kg sodium propionate group, and 480 mg/kg sodium propionate group. A variety of parameters, including general symptoms, body weight, rectal temperature, intestinal microbiota composition, microbial activity, and enzyme activity, were assessed.
Compared with natural recovery group, the 480 mg/kg sodium propionate group presented significant improvements in mental state, anal temperature, fecal water content, the thymus index, and counts ( < 0.01). Compared with those in normal group, the fecal water content and counts in the 100% Sishen Pill group were significantly different ( < 0.01), but no significant differences were observed compared with those in natural recovery group ( > 0.05). The 75% Sishen Pill + 60 mg/kg sodium propionate group showed improvements in mental state, food and water intake, body weight, rectal temperature, fecal water content, spleen, and thymus index, counts, total bacterial count, count, microbial activity, and lactase activity, which were close to normal levels, and significant differences were observed when compared to the natural recovery group ( < 0.01). The 50% Sishen Pill + 120 mg/kg sodium propionate group and 25% Sishen Pill + 240 mg/kg sodium propionate group also exhibited significant differences in mental status, microbial activity, and Lactobacillus count relative to those of normal group ( < 0.01). Furthermore, the 50% Sishen Pill + 120 mg/kg sodium propionate group presented significant changes in fecal water content ( < 0.01), whereas 25% Sishen Pill + 240 mg/kg sodium propionate group presented significant differences in the spleen index, total bacterial count, count, protease activity, lactase activity, and xylanase activity compared with those of normal group ( < 0.01).
The 75% Sishen Pill + 60 mg/kg sodium propionate can improve the symptoms of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome, promote the growth and development of mice, inhibit excessive bacterial proliferation, support the growth of beneficial bacteria, and enhance intestinal enzyme activity. Its effects are superior to the use of sodium propionate or Sishen Pill alone. These results suggest that this therapeutic ratio may optimize the efficacy of Sishen Pill in the treatment of diarrhea with kidney-yang deficiency syndrome. However, further research is necessary to confirm whether this combination represents the most effective treatment regimen for this condition in mice.
本研究旨在探讨丙酸钠联合四神丸对小鼠肾阳虚泄泻证的治疗作用，重点观察其对肠道微生物群、酶活性及相关治疗效果的影响。
通过腺嘌呤联合给药建立肾阳虚泄泻证模型。将模型组随机分为以下治疗组：自然恢复组、100%四神丸组、75%四神丸 + 60 mg/kg丙酸钠组、50%四神丸 + 120 mg/kg丙酸钠组、25%四神丸 + 240 mg/kg丙酸钠组和480 mg/kg丙酸钠组。评估多种参数，包括一般症状、体重、直肠温度、肠道微生物群组成、微生物活性和酶活性。
与自然恢复组相比，480 mg/kg丙酸钠组在精神状态、肛温、粪便含水量、胸腺指数和 计数方面有显著改善（ < 0.01）。与正常组相比，100%四神丸组的粪便含水量和 计数有显著差异（ < 0.01），但与自然恢复组相比无显著差异（ > 0.05）。75%四神丸 + 60 mg/kg丙酸钠组在精神状态、食物和水摄入量、体重、直肠温度、粪便含水量、脾脏和胸腺指数、 计数、总细菌计数、 计数、微生物活性和乳糖酶活性方面有改善，接近正常水平，与自然恢复组相比有显著差异（ < 0.01）。50%四神丸 + 120 mg/kg丙酸钠组和25%四神丸 + 240 mg/kg丙酸钠组相对于正常组在精神状态、微生物活性和乳酸杆菌计数方面也有显著差异（ < 0.01）。此外，50%四神丸 + 120 mg/kg丙酸钠组在粪便含水量方面有显著变化（ < 0.01），而25%四神丸 + 240 mg/kg丙酸钠组与正常组相比在脾脏指数、总细菌计数、 计数、蛋白酶活性、乳糖酶活性和木聚糖酶活性方面有显著差异（ < 0.01）。
75%四神丸 + 60 mg/kg丙酸钠可改善肾阳虚泄泻证症状，促进小鼠生长发育，抑制细菌过度增殖，支持有益菌生长，增强肠道酶活性。其效果优于单独使用丙酸钠或四神丸。这些结果表明，这种治疗比例可能优化四神丸治疗肾阳虚泄泻证的疗效。然而，需要进一步研究以确认这种联合用药是否是小鼠这种病症最有效的治疗方案。
