Effects of Acute Abdomen III on Sepsis-Induced Intestinal Damage in a Rat Model

The disruptions to intestinal integrity contribute to sepsis-related complications. Acute abdomen III is a traditional Chinese medicine formula. The objective of this research is to investigate the impact of acute abdomen III upon sepsis-induced intestinal damage. A rat model of cecal ligation and puncture was used to evaluate the impact of acute abdomen III on sepsis-induced intestinal damage. Histopathological analysis of intestinal tissue damage, detection of systemic inflammation and measurement of tight junction protein were performed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot, respectively. Oxidative stress and intestinal barrier integrity were assessed. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling was employed to evaluate apoptosis. Expression levels of the apoptosis-related proteins were examined. Model rats treated with acute abdomen III exhibited significantly mitigated intestinal damage. Acute abdomen III treatment reduced systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, as evidenced by downregulation of malondialdehyde and upregulation of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Acute abdomen III therapy lowered endotoxin, D-lactate, and diamine oxidase levels, while boosting the levels of tight junction proteins ZO-1, claudin-1 and occludin, implying an enhancement in intestinal barrier integrity. Acute abdomen III also markedly suppressed apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells. Acute abdomen III can protect against sepsis-induced intestinal damage by reducing systemic inflammation and oxidative stress while promoting intestinal barrier integrity.