Emodin protects against intestinal dysfunction and enhances survival in rat model of septic peritonitis through anti‐inflammatory actions

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a significant contributor to organ function damage or failure that results in intestinal dysfunction. Emodin (Emo) has received much attention for its notable anti‐inflammatory and antibacterial properties. We aimed to explore the function of Emo on sepsis. METHODS: Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were pretreated with 20 or 40 mg/kg of Emo, followed by using cecal ligation and perforation to establish sepsis models. Hereafter, blood glucose levels, biochemical parameters, and inflammatory cytokines were measured. Additionally, ileal myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was also measured. Diamine oxidase (DAO) level in plasma, fluorescein isothiocyanate‐dextran 40 (FD‐40) level in serum, bacteria number in blood and peritoneal fluid, histopathological changes of ileum, and tight junction (TJ) protein expressions in ileum were tested to evaluate the barrier function. Furthermore, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells' percentages were evaluated by flow cytometry. Finally, rats' survival rate was calculated as live rats divided by the total number of rats. RESULTS: Emo pretreatment not only decreased blood glucose level, but also downregulated triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) contents for sepsis rats, especially for the high dose of Emo (p < .05). Furthermore, Emo inhibited MPO activity and inflammatory factor release (p < .05). Crucially, after Emo administration, the barrier function of ileum was enhanced, evidenced by the reduced DAO, FD‐40 levels, decreased bacteria number, alleviated pathological damage in ileum and increased TJ protein expressions (p < .05). Rats treated with Emo exhibited increased percentages of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells (p < .05), as well as an improved survival rate. CONCLUSION: Emo exhibited a remarkable ability to attenuate sepsis by restoring intestinal dysfunction and improving survival rates, and the mechanism was closely related to anti‐inflammatory properties, which provided new solid evidence for the use of Emo in treating sepsis.