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Prophylactic herbal therapy prevents experimental ascending urinary tract infection in mice

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Abstract

Objective

To study the preventive effect of herbal formulation on experimental murine urinary tract infection (UTI) induced by Dr Escherichia coli 11128.

Methods

E. coli 11128 carrying Dr fimbriae was isolated from patients with chronic pyelonephritis. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of herbal solution for E. coli 11128 was determined for further studies. Forty C3H/HeJ mice were divided into the herb-treated group (n=20, given Chinese herbs by gavage at an average dose of 20 g/kg body weight daily 3 days before inoculation), and control group (n=20, given the same amount of distilled water by gavage). Three and 6 days after infection, bacteria were counted in the urine and the kidneys of the mice. Kidney histopathologic changes were evaluated. Neutrophils infiltration and accumulation were detected.

Results

The MIC value of herbal solution was 0.1 g/mL for the E. coli 11128. In herb-treated mice, there was a significant reduction in bacterial counts in urine and colonization densities of kidneys. Microscopic studies revealed signs of inflammation in kidneys. In herb-treated mice, herbal administration resulted in significantly reduced neutrophilic infiltrates (P<0.05). The semi-quantitative scores for renal lesions were significantly lower (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Prophylactic administration of herbal formulation potentiated the effect in partially preventing experimental murine ascending UTI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nephrology, the First Affilliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130021, China

    Yan-qing Tong  (童延清)

  2. Department of Microbiology, the First Affilliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130021, China

    Min Sun  (孙 敏) & Ying Chi  (迟 英)

Authors
  1. Yan-qing Tong  (童延清)
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  2. Min Sun  (孙 敏)
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  3. Ying Chi  (迟 英)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yan-qing Tong  (童延清).

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81374039)

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Tong, Yq., Sun, M. & Chi, Y. Prophylactic herbal therapy prevents experimental ascending urinary tract infection in mice. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 22, 774–777 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2601-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-016-2601-3

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