ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1689481
Modified Bufei Decoction Improves Calf Health by Enhancing Immunity, Reducing Inflammation, and Modulating Gut Microbiota
Provisionally accepted- 1Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
- 2Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- 3Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan, China
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Objective: To analyze the active ingredients of Modified Bufei Decoction (MBFD) and their targets of action, as well as to validate the preventive effects of its modified formulation on respiratory diseases in calves. Methods: Network pharmacology and molecular docking were employed to identify active components and targets. Sixty calves were randomly allocated to control and MBFD groups (21-day intervention). Pneumonia incidence, serum inflammatory factors, immune parameters, and antioxidant capacity were measured, with gut microbiota analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing. The Spearman method was used to analyze the correlation between the differential intestinal flora and the total ingredients. Results: Systematic screening identified 233 bioactive components in MBFD that target key molecules, such as TNF and IL-6, and modulate pathways, including IL-17 and PI3K/AKT. Molecular docking suggests preliminary binding indications between them. There was a 17% reduction in pneumonia incidence with MBFD (43.3%) compared to the control group (60%). Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM) and antioxidants (CAT, GSH, T-SOD, and T-AOC, all with P < 0.05) showed an increasing trend, while inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β) and MDA exhibited a decreasing trend. The predominant phyla identified through 16S rDNA sequencing were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria. After drug administration, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes increased compared to the control group. Conclusion: MBFD enhances growth, immunity, and intestinal health in calves by modulating the gut microbiota, alleviating dysbiosis, and reducing the incidence of respiratory diseases. This study provides a basis for the rational application of MBFD in calf healthcare.
Keywords: Modified Bu-Fei decoction, Calf pneumonia, Network Pharmacology, Moleculardocking, 16S rDNA
Received: 22 Aug 2025; Accepted: 26 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Yang, Ji, Hua, Li, Yang, Wu, Wang, Wei and Yan. 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, jip@gsau.edu.cn
Yongli Hua, huayongli2004@163.com
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.