Hepatic
fibrosis (HF) is a typical consequence in the development of multiple chronic
liver diseases, which is intimately related to the composition and metabolic status of gut microbiota. A myriad of evidence has indicated that
traditional Chinese medicine can treat HF by regulating gut microbiota.
Yinchen Wuling powder (YCWLP) is a famous
traditional Chinese medicine prescription, which has been used to relieve
liver diseases for thousands of years. YCWLP has demonstrated protective function on HF, but its effect on the alterations of gut microbiota is still unclear, and its explicit therapeutic mechanism also needs to be further elucidated. In this study,
16S rRNA gene sequencing and fecal metabolomics analysis were combined to investigate the influence of YCWLP on gut microbiota in HF rats and the interactions between gut microbiota and host metabolism. The results showed that YCWLP treatment significantly improved the disorder of multiple organ indices, HF-related
cytokines and plasma LPS induced by HF. Masson's trichrome stainings also showed that YCWLP treatment could significantly alleviate the severity of HF in rats. Additionally, YCWLP could reverse the significant changes in the abundance of certain genera closely related to HF phenotype, including Barnesiella [Ruminococcus] and Christensenella. Meanwhile, YCWLP significantly increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium, Coprococcus and Anaerostipes, which are closely related to
butyrate production. Metabolomics and Spearman's correlation analysis showed that YCWLP could regulate the disorder of
arginine biosynthesis,
sphingolipid metabolism and
alanine,
aspartate and
glutamate metabolism in HF rats, and these regulations were intimately related to Barnesiella, [Ruminococcus], Christensenella, Coprococcus and Anaerostipes. By explaining the biological significance of the above results, we concluded that YCWLP might ameliorate HF by regulating the imbalance of gut microbiota, increasing the abundance of
butyrate-producing bacteria to reduce
ammonia production, promote
ammonia degradation, and regulate pro-inflammatory
cytokines and immune function.