OBJECTIVE: To probe into the therapeutic effect of Shengjiang Xiexin decoction on mice infected with Clostridium difficile（ C. difficile）. METHODS: The C57 BL/6 mice infected with C. difficile were divided into the normal group

model group

vancomycin group（ 50 mg/kg）

vancomycin combined with Shengjiang Xiexin decoction low-dose group（ vancomycin 50 mg/kg + Shengjiang Xiexin decoction 16. 4 g/kg）

and Shengjiang Xiexin decoction low-dose group（ 16. 4 g/kg） and high-dose group（ 32. 8 g/kg）. All mice were dosed continuously for 7 d. The efficacy of Shengjiang Xiexin decoction in the treatment of C. difficile. infection was evaluated based on the mortality

body weight

A＆B level of C. difficile

and HE staining of intestinal histology. RESULTS: The body weight of mice in each group increased steadily from before modeling to the time of successful modeling; after successful modeling to the middle of treatment

the body weight of mice continued to decrease

with the most obvious decrease in the model group.During the treatment

the body weight of mice in the model group was significantly lower than that in the vancomycin group

the vancomycin combined with Shengjiang Xiexin decoction low-dose group

and the Shengjiang Xiexin decoction low-dose group at other monitoring time points

with statistically significant difference（ P < 0. 05）

except for the body weight of mice in the Shengjiang Xiexin decoction high-dose group was lower than that in the model group on the 5 th day of treatment. During the observation period

the body weight of mice in each group continued to increase.Compared with the model group

the A＆B level of C. difficile decreased effectively in the vancomycin group and the vancomycin combined with Shengjiang Xiexin decoction low-dose treatment group（ P < 0. 01/0. 05）. On the 5 th day of drug withdrawal

the A＆B level of C. difficile increased compared with the 2 nd day of observation in the vancomycin group and the vancomycin combined with Shengjiang Xiexin decoction low-dose treatment group

and there was no statistical significance compared with the model group（ P > 0. 05）. After 3 d of treatment

the A＆B level of C. difficile in the Shengjiang Xiexin decoction low-dose group decreased to the normal level

and the difference was statistically significant compared with that in the model group（ P < 0. 01/0. 05）

and the level was maintained until the drug withdrawal for 5 d. HE staining results of intestinal tissue pathology showed that after treatment

no obvious intestinal tissue damage was observed in other groups except fro a small amount of lymphocyte infiltration in the local submucosa of the mice in the Shengjiang Xiexin decoction high-dose group. CONCLUSIONS: Although Shengjiang Xiexin decoction alone is not as strong as vancomycin in antibacterial activity

it still shows a certain therapeutic effect; compared with vancomycin alone

the inhibition ability on toxin level in Shengjiang Xiexin decoction high-dose group combined with vancomycin group is relatively stable. Shengjiang Xiexin decoction has the stable therapeutic effect

slow onset and no signs of recurrence

which reflects the characteristics and advantages of multi-component and multi-targeted traditional Chinese medicine

and provides the new treatment strategy reference for clinical C. difficile infection.