Bovine mastitis is an inflammatory response of the mammary tissue triggered by pathogenic microorganism infections, which severely impairs dairy production performance and compromises milk product safety, leading to substantial economic losses in the livestock industry. Consequently, elucidating its pathogenesis is of critical importance for prevention and treatment strategies. Conventionally, mastitis has been attributed primarily to exogenous bacterial infections or physical trauma; however, recent studies reveal that gastrointestinal microbiota and their metabolites can systemically influence mammary health via the "gut-mammary axis," offering novel insights into the disease’s mechanistic underpinnings. Building on prior research, this review systematically summarizes the pathogenesis of bovine mastitis and highlights the escalating challenges posed by traditional antibiotic therapies due to rising antimicrobial resistance and disruption of mammary microbiota. In parallel, herbal medicines have emerged as a promising research focus, exhibiting distinctive advantages in mastitis prevention and treatment owing to their multi-component, multi-target synergistic actions and regulatory effects on the gut-mammary axis. Starting from the inflammatory cascade and immune regulation mechanisms initiated by pathogenic infections, this article focuses on the multi-pathway mechanisms through which herbal medicines exert therapeutic effects—by targeting pathogens, modulating inflammatory responses, and regulating immune functions—thereby offering innovative perspectives for the green prevention and control of bovine mastitis.
| 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 |