title: [Effect of Rhizoma Atractylodis extract in protecting gastric mucosa and modulating gastrointestinal immune function in a rat model of spleen deficiency].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of Rhizoma Atractylodis extract (ERA) in protecting gastric mucosa and modulating gastrointestinal immune function of a rat model of spleen deficiency syndrome and elucidate the mechanism by which ERA improves spleen deficiency syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male rats were fed with Xiaochengqi decoction and subjected to irregular feeding to induce spleen deficiency syndrome. The established models were randomized into model group, high-, moderate- and low-dose ERA groups, and domperidone group. After corresponding treatment for 30 days, the content of IgA in the intestinal lavage fluid, serum IgG, and the indices of the spleen and thymus were determined. The pathological changes in the gastric mucosa was observed with HE staining, gastric mucosal blood flow was evaluated with laser Doppler rheometry, and the expression of TFF1 in the gastric mucosa and TLR4 expression in the colon tissue were detected with immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rat models of spleen deficiency syndrome showed obvious abnormalities in gastric mucosal morphology, blood flow and immunological indexes. Compared with the model rats, the rats receiving ERA treatment as different doses all showed significant improvements in gastric mucosal morphology, blood flow volume, gastric mucosa trefoil factor 1 (TFF1) expression, intestinal lavage fluid IgA content, serum IgG content, indices of the spleen and thymus, and TLR4 expression in the colon TLR4 (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ERA can inhibit gastric mucosal damage, protect and repair the damaged mucosal tissues, and improve the immune function of in rats with spleen deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Hubei Institute for Nationalities, Enshi 445000, China.E-mail: 1183794354@qq.com.
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yangju
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chunman
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D031174:Atractylodes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry; D013154:Spleen / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010455:Peptides; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2; C499893:xiao-cheng-qi-tang