Houttuynia cordata Polysaccharide Ameliorates Chronic Inflammation-Induced Intestinal Impairment by Zonula Occludens-1 in Rats

Figure 1

Observation on HCP treatment of LPS-induced pathological changes in the small intestine (×200). Except for the control group, the other 6 groups were infected with LPS. HCP treatment groups were intragastric with the corresponding dose of HCP solution (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg·BW), respectively. Meanwhile, the DEX group and DEX.P group were separately treated with DEX (1 mg/kg·BW) and DEX (1 mg/kg·BW) + low-dose HCP (50 mg/kg·BW). The inflammation and intestinal tissue damage were reflected by HE-staining intuitively. (a) Control group: morphology and structure of intestinal mucosa were normal and intact, villus arranged regularly; (b) LPS group: villus necrosed and exfoliated, inflammatory cells concentrated in the submucosa; (c) DEX group; (d) HCPL group; (e) HCPM group; (f) HCPH group; (g) DEXP group; (b–g): the swelling and fracture of intestinal villi ameliorated observably, infiltrating inflammatory cells reduced. Collectively, HCP treatment significantly relieved histological damage and inflammatory symptoms of the intestinal mucosa.

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