Freeze-dried powder of daylily bud improves bromocriptine-induced lactation disorder in rats via JAK2/STAT5 pathway

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Milk deficiency is a prevalent problem in the world. Daylily (Hemerocallis citrina Borani), called the Chinese mother flower, is a traditional vegetable and is believed to possess a galactagogue effect in China. Flavonoids and phenols are considered as the active ingredients of daylily to promote lactation and improve depression. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to investigate the prolactin effects of freeze-dried powder of flower buds of H. citrina Baroni in rat and its action mechanisms. Materials and methods: The chemical constituents of flower buds of H. citrina Baroni treated by different drying techniques were analyzed by ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model induced by bromocriptine was used to evaluate the effect of freeze-dried powder of daylily buds on promoting lactation. Network pharmacology method, ELISA, qPCR, and Western blot were used to clarify the action mechanisms. Results: We detected 657 compounds in daylily buds. The relative contents of total flavonoids and phenols in freeze-dried samples were higher than those in dried ones. Bromocriptine, as a dopamine receptor agonist, can significantly inhibit prolactin in rats. Daylily buds can restore the levels of prolactin, progesterone and estradiol depressed by bromocriptine, effectively improve the milk production of the rat, and promote the repair of rat mammary gland tissue. We analyzed the relationship between the chemical components of daylily buds and the genes related to lactation with network pharmacology method, revealing that flavonoids and phenols may be the active components that promoted milk production via JAK2/STAT5 pathway, which was confirmed by the results of qPCR and Western blot. Daylily buds can increase the mRNA expression of PRLR, CSN2, LALBA and FASN and the protein expression of PRLR, JAK2 and STAT5. Conclusion: Daylily buds can improve the insufficient lactation of rats induced by bromocriptine through PRLR/ JAK2/STAT5 pathway, and the freeze-dried processing method may better retain the active components of flavonoids and phenols that promote milk in daylily.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the prolactin effects and mechanisms of freeze-dried powder of daylily buds in rats. It was found that daylily buds can improve lactation deficiency in rats induced by bromocriptine through the PRLR/JAK2/STAT5 pathway, and the freeze-dried processing method better retains the flavonoids and phenols that promote milk production.