ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1611467
This article is part of the Research TopicNatural Compounds in Veterinary TherapeuticsView all 7 articles
Gastrointestinal flora and serum Metabolomic Elucidation of Astragali Radix water Decoction Intervention in Subclinical Bovine Mastitis
Provisionally accepted
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
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Background: This study addresses the global challenge of subclinical bovine mastitis (SCBM) in dairy cows, a prevalent disease causing substantial economic losses, by investigating the mechanistic basis of Astragali Radix, a traditional herbal remedy with empirically validated efficacy but incompletely understood modes of action.Methods: Initially, the active components of Astragali Radix were identified using LC-MS/MS. Dose-response trials were conducted in Holstein cows (n=24 SCBM cases; n=6 healthy controls), along with multi-omics integration, including 16S rRNA sequencing for rumen/feces microbiota and UHPLC-MS metabolomics for serum analysis. The therapeutic effects of ARWD on milk production, inflammatory markers, immune parameters, and oxidative stress were systematically evaluated.Results: ARWD administration dose-dependently improved milk yield and protein content while reducing somatic cell counts. Serum pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α , IL-6, IL-1 β ) decreased, contrasting with increases in immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, IgG) and enhanced superoxide dismutase activity. Microbiota restructuring featured ruminal enrichment of Bifidobacterium and fecal dominance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, coupled with suppression of pro-inflammatory taxa (e.g., Christensenellaceae_R-7_group). Metabolomic analysis identified four ARWD-responsive biomarkers, notably Spirotaccagenin and Pelanin, operating through linoleic acid metabolism and phospholipase D signaling pathways. Strong correlations linked microbial shifts to improved lactation parameters and reduced inflammation.The findings establish that ARWD alleviates SCBM through coordinated microbiota remodeling and metabolic reprogramming, specifically enhancing antioxidant defenses, restoring mammary barrier integrity, and modulating immune-inflammation crosstalk, with optimal efficacy at 0.4 g•kg -1 •d -1 dosage. This mechanistic validation positions ARWD as a scientifically grounded, ecofriendly alternative for sustainable mastitis management, reconciling therapeutic effectiveness with agricultural economic priorities.
Keywords: Astragali Radix, Subclinical bovine mastitis, Phytochemical untargeted metabolomics, Metabolomics, 16S rRNA
Received: 14 Apr 2025; Accepted: 17 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Yan, Zhou, Ma, Ji and Wei. 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:
Peng Ji, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
Yanming Wei, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
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