The Potential Effect of Chinese Herbal Formula Hongqijiangzhi Fang in Improving NAFLD: Focusing on NLRP3 Inflammasome and Gut Microbiota

Figures

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  Figure 1. Weight curve, level of abdominal aorta serum TC, TG, LDL and HDL in NC, HFD, CP, and CR group. #P < 0.05 NC group versus HFD group, ##P < 0.01 NC group versus HFD group, △P < 0.05 CP group versus HFD group, △△P < 0.01 CP group versus HFD group, ∗P < 0.05 CR group versus HFD group, and ∗∗P < 0.01 CR group versus HFD group, n = 8.

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  Figure 2. The hepatic steatosis of rats in NC, HFD, CP, and CR group: (a) Liver weight and liver index. (b) Liver tissue TC and TG. (c) Oil red O staining (stain ×200) and positive rate. ##P < 0.01 NC group versus HFD group, △△P < 0.01 CP group versus HFD group, ∗P < 0.05 CR group versus HFD group, and ∗∗P < 0.01 CR group versus HFD group, n = 8.

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  Figure 3. Level of portal vein serum LPS in NC, HFD, CP, and CR group. ##P < 0.01 NC group versus HFD group, △P < 0.05 CP group versus HFD group, and ∗P < 0.05 CR group versus HFD group, n = 8.

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  Figure 4. Immunohistochemistry staining for occludin in colon tissues of NC, HFD, CP, and CR group (stain ×200).

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  Figure 5. Expression of NLRP3 inflammasome related proteins and the level of related cytokinin in NC, HFD, CP, and CR group. (a) Expression of NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1 protein (n = 5). (b) Level of abdominal aorta serum IL-1β and IL-18 (n = 8). ##P < 0.01 NC group versus HFD group, △△P < 0.01 CP group versus HFD group, and ∗∗P < 0.01 CR group versus HFD group.

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  Figure 6. Abundance and diversity of gut microbiota in NC, HFD, CP, and CR group: (a) Shannon Curve. (b) Shannon Index. (c) Beta diversity. (d) PCA score plot.

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  Figure 7. Alteration of gut microbiota in HFD-fed rats with intervention of HJF: (a) Bacteria Family Relative Abundance in four groups. (b) Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G−) bacterium Phylum Relative Abundance of HFD and CR group. (c) LEFse analysis of HFD group versus CR group. (d) Heat map of bacteria family with significant difference between each two groups (FDR < 0.05).