Yifei Sanjie Formula Treats Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Regulating Lung Microbiota Dysbiosis
Abstract BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common pulmonary diseases. There is evidence to suggest that dysbiosis of pulmonary microbiota participates in COPD development. Yifei Sanjie Formula (YS) is widely used to treat diseases in respiratory systems, yet its mechanisms are little known. MethodsIn the present study, the efficacy of YS was evaluated by analyzing its effects on the severity of pulmonary pathological damage, pulmonary function, pro-inflammation cytokines, the activation of NLRP3/caspase-1/IL-1β signaling pathway, and changes of lung microbiota. ResultsYS improved animal behaviors, prevented declines in pulmonary ventilatory function and lung injury in a rat model of COPD. Administration of YS significantly suppressed the release of proinflammatory cytokines and collagen deposition and downregulated NLRP3/caspase-1/IL-1β signaling in vivo. YS changed the relative abundance of specific pulmonary microbiota and modulated bacterial flora in the rat model. ConclusionsThese results suggest that the effects of YS involved lung microbes and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.