Prunella vulgaris L. (P. vulgaris L.) is a traditional medicinal herb renowned for its various pharmacological properties through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The present study investigated the hepatoprotection of P. vulgaris L. polysaccharide against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in mice. Thirty (n= 30) ICR mice were divided into a control group (AC), a CCl4-induced liver injury model (AM), and a P. vulgaris L. polysaccharide treatment group (AXK). The AM and AXK groups received intraperitoneal injections of 10% CCl4 every two days, while the AXK group was also intragastrically administered P. vulgaris L. polysaccharide @150 mg/kg/day. The present research indicated that CCl4 remarkably decreased liver weight (P<0.05) and liver index (P<0.001) in mice, while treatment with P. vulgaris L. reversed these changes. Histopathological observation indicated that structural injury of the liver and the infiltration of inflammatory cells were alleviated, and Sirius Red-positive collagen deposition was qualitatively reduced in the AXK group compared to the CCl4 model group. Moreover, P. vulgaris L. significantly decreased liver function markers such as ALT and AST (P<0.001), inflammation factors like IL-6 (P<0.01), IL-1β (P<0.01), TNF-α (P<0.05), and oxidative stress marker MDA (P<0.01), while increasing GSH-Px (P<0.001), T-AOC (P<0.01), SOD (P<0.01) and IL-10 (P<0.01) levels. Analysis of gut microbiota suggested that P. vulgaris L. improved intestinal flora by reducing harmful bacteria such as Colidextribacter and Mammaliicoccus, while increasing Lachnospiraceae UCG-006, Coriobacteriales Incertae Sedis, and Streptomyces. This study provides a complete profile of the influence of Prunella vulgaris L. on the morphology of the liver, inflammation factors, oxidative stress parameters, and intestinal microbiota in CCl4-challenged mice and suggests that Prunella vulgaris L. polysaccharides may exert hepatoprotection in relation to favorable modulation of the gut–liver axis.

To Cite This Article: Gao J, Zhang X, Lin X, Li Q, He Q, Alkhateeb MA, Alkahtani AM, Yang L and Li L, 2026. Prunella vulgaris L. polysaccharide alleviated liver injury in carbon tetrachloride-induced mice via regulating oxidation resistance, inflammatory response, and microbiota. Pak Vet J, 46(2): 341-351. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2026.025