Protective effect of Poria cocos polysaccharides on zearalenone-induced intestinal damage in mice

LI Huan; DAI Dejia; HUANG Kangping; LIANG Yuanxi; LU Ke; HU Hao; HE Jiakang; LIANG Zhengmin

doi:10.13557/j.cnki.issn1002-2813.2025.20.017

Abstract：The experiment aimed to investigate the protective effect of Poria cocos polysaccharide(PCP)on zearalenone(ZEA)-induced intestinal damage in mice.A total of 18 female BALB/C mice were randomly divided into three groups,with six mice per group.The blank control group(Control group)was orally administered sterile water of equal volume,while the low-dose ZEA group(ZEA-20 group)and high-dose ZEA group(ZEA-40 group)were orally administered 0.2 mL of 20 and 40 mg/kg ZEA for seven days respectively,to investigate the damaging effect of ZEA on the intestinal tract of mice.A total of 30 mice were randomly divided into five groups,with six mice per group.The PCP group and ZEA poisoned group after PCP intervention(PCP+ZEA group)were orally administered with 0.2 mL of 100 mg/kg PCP,while the Control group,solvent control group(dimethyl sulfoxide,DMSO group),and ZEA group were orally administered with equal volumes of sterile water for 14 days.On the 8th day,the ZEA group and PCP+ZEA group were orally administered with 0.2 mL of 20 mg/kg ZEA,the Control group and PCP group were orally administered with equal volumes of sterile water,and the DMSO group was orally administered with equal volumes of 10％DMSO for seven days to observe the intervention effect of PCP on ZEA induced intestinal injury in mice.The results showed that both 20 and 40 mg/kg ZEA would cause pathological damage to the jejunal tissue structure of mice,with the jejunal villus height and villus-crypt ratio significantly or extremely reduced(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Compared with the Control group,the ZEA group of mice showed villous rupture in the duodenum and jejunum,degeneration and necrosis of intestinal epithelial cells,significantly decreased in the relative abundance of Firmicutes in the rectum(P＜0.05),and significantly increased in the relative abundance of Enterorhabdus(P＜0.05).The activity of serum catalase(CAT)was significantly reduced(P＜0.05),and the activity of total glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)in jejunal tissue was extremely reduced(P＜0.01).Compared with the ZEA group,the PCP+ZEA group had more intact epithelial structures in the duodenum and jejunum,extremely increased relative abundance of Firmicutes in the rectum(P＜0.01),restored the relative abundance of Enterorhabdus to normal levels(P＜0.05),significantly increased CAT activity in serum(P＜0.05),and significantly increased total superoxide dismutase(SOD),CAT,and GSH-Px activity in jejunal tissue(P＜0.05).The study indicates that PCP can improve ZEA induced intestinal injury by maintaining intestinal structural integrity and microbial homeostasis,enhancing intestinal antioxidant capacity,and has the potential to prevent and treat ZEA poisoning.