This study investigated the therapeutic efficacy of Abrus cantoniensis on intestine damages in mice caused by Escherichia coli. Thirty Kunming mice were randomly assigned to control group (C), infection group (M), and Abrus cantoniensis intervention group (J). Animals in group J were orally administered of Abrus cantoniensis (100mg/kg/day) for 14 days, while the control and infection groups were given an equivalent volume of normal saline. On day 15, mice in group M and J were intraperitoneally inoculated with Escherichia coli. Twenty-four hours later, all mice were euthanized for collection of blood, organ, and intestinal samples. Results found that Abrus cantoniensis decreased diarrhea and mortality rates, increased body weight,and decreased liver weights and bacterial loads in intestines. Histopathological analysis of ileum showed that Abrus cantoniensis improved intestine villi and crypt structure, and reduced inflammatory cells infiltration. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing of the gut microbial community illustrated that Abrus cantoniensis intervention increased the abundance of beneficial bacterial taxa, including Amulumruptor, Eubacterium_F, CAG_269, Ruminiclostridium_E, Faecousia, CAG_510, and Ruminococcus_E. These findings indicate that Abrus cantoniensis protects against E. coli-induced intestinal injury by ameliorating intestinal damage, reducing bacterial burdens, and regulating gut microbiota composition.

To Cite This Article: Zhong Q, Bai J, Zhao C, Guo Y, Zhang Y, Imran M, Sun W, Han Y and Wang J, 2026. Abrus cantoniensis alleviated Escherichia coli induced intestine damage in mice through modulating gut microbiota. Pak Vet J, 46(3): 587-594. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2026.047