To investigate the protective effect of hedysarum polybotrys polysacchcaide (HPS) on intestinal mucosal barrier in rats with splenic deficiency type diabetic gastroparesis.

The rat model of spleen deficiency DGP was prepared by multifactorial combined with low-dose intraperitoneal injection of Stretocin. The rats were randomly divided into blank group (pure water gavage), model group (pure water gavage), positive control group (0.09 g·kg^-1 metformin hydrochloride sustained-release tablet) and experimental-H,-M,-L groups (0.20, 0.10, 0.05 g·kg^-1 HPS), each group was administered by gavage once a day for 8 W. Measured blood glucose, diamine oxidase (DAO), lipopolysaccharides (LPS), D-lactate contents (D-LA) in serum by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method; Claudin-1, Occludin, Zonula Occluden-1 (ZO-1) mRNA and protein expressions in lleal tissue were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot.

The blood glucose in the blank group, model group, positive control group, experimental-H,-M,-L groups were (5.04±0.40), (30.71±1.21), (18.63±6.72) and (19.90±3.30)mmol·L^-1; the DAO were (49.56±6.13), (192.19±24.40), (130.63±19.90) and (120.24±17.53) pg·mL^-1; the LPS were (41.11±4.56), (99.67±6.63), (64.51±8.59) and (63.07±4.89) ng·L^-1; the D-LA were (506.45±52.22), (1 826.49±224.17), (1 166.47±121.78) and (1 344.82±130.65) μg·L^-1; the relative expression levels of Claudin-1 mRNA were 1.03±0.32, 0.25±0.12, 0.94±0.40 and 0.71±0.21; the relative expression levels of Occludin mRNA were 1.07±0.48, 0.26±0.06, 1.23±0.42 and 0.99±0.47; the relative expression levels of ZO-1 mRNA were 1.00±0.13, 0.43±0.18, 0.85±0.07 and 0.69±0.08; the relative expression levels of Claudin-1 protein were 1.00±0.00, 0.21±0.19, 0.56±0.31 and 0.87±0.31; the relative expression levels of Occludin protein were 1.01±0.27, 0.38±0.11, 0.88±0.10 and 0.85±0.18; the relative expression levels of ZO-1 protein were 1.00±0.14, 0.43±0.04, 0.77±0.02 and 0.67±0.16. Compared with the the blank group, the above indexes in the model group had statistical significance (P<0.01, P<0.05); compared with the model group, the above indexes in the experimental-H had statistical significance (P<0.01, P<0.05).

HPS can reduce intestinal mucosal injury and maintain the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier in spleen deficiency DGP rats.