ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.
Sec. Intestinal Microbiome
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1599903
This article is part of the Research TopicNatural Compounds from Plant: Microbiome-targeted Therapeutic Strategy for Gastrointestinal DisordersView all 7 articles
Effects of Shenfu injection on intestinal microbiota and inflammation in sepsis mice
Provisionally accepted
Ning Li1,2,3Fan Yi1,2,3
Wang Yujun1,2,3Feng Geng1,2,3
Yanli Liu1,2,3Qiushuang Liu1,2,3Yanan Guo1,2,3*
Ding Long1,2,3*- 1Intensive Care Unit, The Central Hospital Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Hua zhong of University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- 2Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for Molecular Diagnosis of Hubei Province ,Central Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan, Hebei Province, China
- 3Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Intestinal Microecological Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Clinical Translation, Wuhan, China
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Sepsis remains a critical challenge in intensive care medicine, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of Shenfu Injection (SFI), a traditional Chinese medicinal formulation, in sepsis management through gut microbiota modulation and inflammatory regulation. Utilizing a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis model, we administered SFI via tail vein injection and systematically evaluated its effects. Results demonstrated that SFI treatment significantly ameliorated intestinal inflammation and reduced serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 β , IL-6) and renal injury markers (SCr, BUN). 16S rRNA sequencing revealed SFI-mediated gut microbial remodeling, characterized by a marked reduction in pathogenic Escherichia-Shigella abundance and concurrent enrichment of beneficial probiotics, including Akkermansia and Lactobacillus. Mechanistically, SFI exhibited dual regulatory effects on both systemic inflammation and gut microbiota homeostasis. These findings not only validate SFI's efficacy in sepsis treatment but also propose a novel mechanism involving gut microbiome modulation. This study provides critical experimental evidence for repurposing traditional Chinese medicine in sepsis therapy and establishes a foundation for future research on microbiota-targeted interventions in critical care.
Keywords: Sepsis, Shenfu injection, intestinal microbiota, Inflammation, Traditional Chinese Medicine ( TCM )
Received: 25 Mar 2025; Accepted: 19 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Yi, Yujun, Geng, Liu, Liu, Guo and Long. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Yanan Guo, Intensive Care Unit, The Central Hospital Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Hua zhong of University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Ding Long, Intensive Care Unit, The Central Hospital Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Hua zhong of University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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