Protective Effects of Gaoyuan Changweian Formula against Intestinal Injury Induced by High-Altitude Hypoxia

doi:10.19803/j.1672-8629.20260108

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To investigate the protective effect of Gaoyuan Changweian formula (GYW) against intestinal injury induced by hypobaric hypoxia in mice. Methods C57BL/6J mice were divided into the following groups (n=8 each): a normal control (NC) group, a hypobaric hypoxia model (MOD) group, a positive control (compound glutamine, 0.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1) group, and GYW-treated groups at low (7.3 g·kg^-1·d^-1), medium (14.6 g·kg^-1·d^-1), and high (29.2 g·kg^-1·d^-1) doses. Each of these groups received oral administration for 14 consecutive days except the NC and MOD groups that were given an equal volume of distilled water. A model for hypobaric hypoxia-induced intestinal stress injury was established by exposing mice to conditions simulating 7 000 m altitude in a hypobaric oxygen chamber for 3 days. Serum levels of intestinal injury markers, D-lactate (D-LA) and diamine oxidase (DAO), were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6) and oxidative stress markers (4-HNE, MDA, SOD, GSH) in intestinal tissues were also detected by ELISA. Intestinal tissue damage was observed via hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and electron microscopy. The expression of intestinal tight junction proteins (ZO-1, occludin) was analyzed by Western blotting. Fresh fecal samples were collected, and gut microbiota composition was assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results GYW intervention alleviated the decrease in body weight of mice with intestinal injury (P<0.05), significantly lowered the levels of injury markers D-LA and DAO (P<0.000 1), inhibited the inflammatory response (P<0.05) and oxidative stress (P<0.05), and upregulated the expressions of the tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin (P<0.01). Furthermore, GYW treatment regulated the brain-gut axis by suppressing the secretion of 5-HT and SP (P<0.05), mitigated damage to intestinal epithelial cells, modulated gut microbiota balance, and increased the relative abundance of probiotics. Conclusion Gaoyuan Changweian formula exerts a protective effect against intestinal injury caused by high-altitude hypoxia in mice. The underlying mechanism may be associated with the regulation of gut microbiota balance, inhibition of the inflammatory response, and antagonism of oxidative stress.

Key words: Gaoyuan Changweian Formula, High-Altitude, Hypobaric and Hypoxia, Intestinal Injury, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Gut Microbiota, Mice

CLC Number:

JIANG Rujiao, LI Fang, WANG Yuguang, LI Maoxing, TANG Xianglin, ZHANG Xianxie, GAO Yue, MA Zengchun. Protective Effects of Gaoyuan Changweian Formula against Intestinal Injury Induced by High-Altitude Hypoxia[J]. Chinese Journal of Pharmacovigilance, 2026, 23(4): 383-389.

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URL: https://zgywjj.magtechjournal.com/EN/10.19803/j.1672-8629.20260108

https://zgywjj.magtechjournal.com/EN/Y2026/V23/I4/383

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