Exploration Of The Protective Effect Of Bifidobacterium Bifidum Preparation On Liver Injury In Rats With Hepatic Fibrosis

Objective: In this study,we firstly analyzed the current status,hot spots and frontier changes of research on intestinal flora in liver diseases through bibliometric analysis;secondly,to verify the protective effect of bifidobacterial preparations on liver injury in hepatic fibrosis and to investigate its mechanism of action,we used the more commonly used bifidobacterial preparations in clinical practice at present to explore the hepatocyte apoptosis,inflammatory response and oxidative stress by establishing a rat model of hepatic fibrosis We investigated the protective effects of Bifidobacterium bifidum on liver injury in rats with liver fibrosis by establishing a model of hepatocyte apoptosis,inflammatory response and oxidative stress.Methods:(1)To analyze the research hotspots and frontier changes of intestinal flora in liver diseases based on bibliometrics;all literature related to intestinal flora and liver diseases published in the Web of Science core database from 2010-2022 was searched,and the resulting literature was statistically analyzed using bibliometric methods and Cite Space5.8.R3 software was used to visualize the statistical results.(2)Experimental investigation on the protective effect of Bifidobacterium tetrasporium preparation on liver injury in rats with liver fibrosis: 30 SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group(control group),liver fibrosis model group(model group)and Bifidobacterium tetrasporium tablet treatment group(intervention group)according to their initial body weight,10 rats in each group.The model and intervention groups were established by intraperitoneal injection of CCL4 to establish a rat model of liver fibrosis,and after the model was successfully established.After the model was successfully established,the rats in the intervention group were given Bifidobacterium tetrakis tablets solution by gavage once daily for 4 weeks.The rats in each group were compared for changes in living condition,body weight,liver index and liver function after the intervention with Bifidobacterium tetrakis preparations.The changes of malondialdehyde(MDA)content and catalase(CAT)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)enzyme activities in liver tissues were measured by the kit.Results:(1)The bibliometric analysis revealed that the hotspots of research related to intestinal flora and liver diseases are intestinal flora,gut-liver axis,inflammation and liver diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis,alcoholic steatohepatitis,cirrhosis,hepatocellular carcinoma and autoimmune liver diseases,and that intestinal flora and its metabolites interact through various cytokines,inflammatory mediators and metabolites such as bile acids,thus constituting a complex network structure that is involved in the development of liver disease.Liver fibrosis will remain a major hotspot for related research in the future,and the application of probiotics such as Bifidobacterium to regulate the intestinal flora has a promising future in the treatment of liver diseases.(2)Compared with the model group,the rats in the intervention group showed increased body weight,better general condition,improved weight gain;the histological morphology and liver index of the liver improved significantly compared with the model group,and liver functions such as ALT,AST and GGT were restored.HE staining of liver sections from the intervention group showed that the diffuse steatosis and vacuole-like degeneration of hepatocytes were effectively improved compared with the model group.The relative expression levels of m RNA of α-SMA,Col-1 and Col-3 in the liver tissues of rats in the intervention group were found to be significantly lower than those in the model group(P﹤0.05),indicating that the bifidobacteria preparation could slow down the process of liver fibrosis in rats.In addition,the m RNA expression of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-17,Bcl-2 and Bax in the liver of rats in the intervention group decreased,the MDA content of liver tissue homogenate decreased,and the activities of SOD and CAT enzymes increased,indicating that the Bifidobacterium bifidum preparation could reduce hepatocyte apoptosis,decrease the level of liver inflammation,reduce oxidative stress injury and alleviate liver injury in rats with liver fibrosis.Conclusion:Bifidobacterium bifidum preparation can protect against liver injury in rats with hepatic fibrosis by reducing the level of liver inflammation,decreasing hepatocyte apoptosis and attenuating oxidative stress injury,and can effectively improve the general living condition of rats with hepatic fibrosis,restore liver function and slow down the development process of hepatic fibrosis.