Aerobic glycolysis is a key factor to aggravate progression of sepsis. Xijiao Dihuang decoction (XJDHT) has been proven to have favorable therapeutic effects on sepsis. Our previous study has shown that XJDHT is capable of improving survival from sepsis. In this study we investigated the effects of XJDHT on aerobic glycolysis.

The rats were randomly divided into five groups, which included control group, model group, TAK-242 group, XJDHT (25 g/kg) group and XJDHT (12.5 g/kg) group. The contents of cytokines increased in the model group compared with control group, while XJDHT reduced expressions of cytokines. Furthermore, the expressions of TLR4, HIF-1α and PKM2 were reduced significantly in the XJDHT group compared with the model group. There were five groups, including control group, LPS group, siTLR4 group, XJDHT (4 mg/mL) group and XJDHT (2 mg/mL) group in vitro experiments. The IL-1β and IL-6 were elevated significantly after LPS stimulation in the model group, while XJDHT reduced the expression of cytokines. Protein expressions of TLR4, HIF-1α and PKM2 were increased significantly by stimulation of LPS, while XJDHT down-regulated the expressions of key molecules in the signaling pathway.

To conclude, our study implies that XJDHT is capable of improving the prognosis of sepsis by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis via down-regulation of TLR4/HIF-1α/PKM2 signaling pathway.