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Updated: Apr 30, 2026
Use of Animal Model of Sepsis to Evaluate Novel Herbal Therapies
Published on: April 11, 2012
Exploring the Protective Mechanism of Xuebijing Injection Against Sepsis
Zhouguang Jiao1, Haikuan Yu2, Xuekong Li3
1College of Basic Medical Science, Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis Mechanism and Control of Inflammatory-Autoimmune Disease of Hebei Province, State Key Laboratory of New Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, People's Republic of China.
Purpose:
Xuebijing (XBJ) injection is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injection prepared using modern pharmaceutical techniques. Approved as a State Category II New Drug for sepsis, XBJ has demonstrated significant clinical efficacy in China. However, the bioactive components of XBJ and the mechanisms underlying its anti-sepsis effects remain to be fully elucidated. This study aimed to elucidate the regulatory network among herbs, compounds, genes, and signaling pathways.
Methods:
We conducted a network pharmacology analysis by integrating published RNA-sequencing data from the BioProject database and experimental evidence from 27 relevant studies identified in PubMed. And the anti-sepsis effects of XBJ and its main component, Hydroxysafflor Yellow A, were validated in a CLP-induced murine model.
Results:
Our results demonstrate that XBJ modulates 21 target genes through at least 18 of its bioactive compounds (e.g. Quercetin, Kaempferol). The majority of these genes, including IL6, TNF, and HMGB1, were down-regulated after XBJ treatment. Using a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced murine sepsis model, we demonstrated that by 24 hours post-operation, the survival rate in the XBJ-treated group was twice that of the PBS-treated group (66.7% vs. 33.3%). Finally, a comprehensive herb-compound-gene-pathway regulatory network was established to illustrate the potential mechanisms of action.
Conclusion:
In summary, this study reveals that XBJ may alleviate sepsis by modulating target genes via its compounds, primarily through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pathways. This study provides a systematic elucidation of XBJ's anti-sepsis mechanism, and the research strategy established here offers a valuable framework for investigating the mechanisms of other complex traditional Chinese medicine formulae.
