This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of Banlian Zijin San (BLZJS) in preventing and treating heat stress in broilers using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments. Active components and targets of BLZJS were screened using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). Heat stress-related disease targets were identified via the GeneCards database. Venny and Cytoscape 3.7.2 software were used to map BLZJS-heat stress intersection targets and construct a "drug-component-disease-target" network. The STRING database established a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of targets were performed using DAVID and Metascape databases. The results of network pharmacology showed that 122 targets were intersected between Banlian Zijinsan and heat stress, and the lipid and atherosclerosis and cancer pathways were the ones with higher number of enriched genes and significance, and the molecular docking results showed that the components of Banlian Zijinsan with higher number of potential targets bound better to the core targets of heat stress diseases;For the animal experiments, 300 1-day-old broiler chickens were randomly divided into 5 groups. Except for the control group, all other groups were subjected to heat stress treatment at an ambient temperature of 37±2 ℃ for 42 days. Three treatment groups were added with 0.5%, 1%, and 2% of traditional Chinese medicine compound to their basal diet, while the model group and control group were fed with basal diet. During the experiment, Banlian Zijin San could significantly reduce the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of broiler chickens on days 14, 28, and 42 of heat stress (P<0.05), significantly increased the level of IL-10 (P<0.05), significantly reduced the levels of HSP70, HSP90, IL-6, and TNF-α in liver tissue (P<0.05), and significantly increased the level of IL-10 (P<0.05). Mild liver damage occurred in the model group on day 14, but not in BLZJS groups. Liver damage worsened in the model group on days 28 and 42, while BLZJS groups showed no significant damage.BLZJS alleviates heat stress-induced impairments in broiler growth performance and liver function. Its multiple active components likely regulate key targets (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, HSP70) and signaling pathways to mitigate heat stress.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |