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The cultural significance of the flora used by the native Asheninka Sheremashe community in Ucayali, Peru was determined. To do this, a fieldwork of over 4 months was conducted, involving semi-structured interviews with 106 residents through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The community utilizes 139 plant species in their daily lives, belonging to 120 genera and 52 families, with the most abundant being Fabaceae, Arecaceae, Malvaceae, Solanaceae, Poaceae, and Rutaceae. Furthermore, 25.9% of the species are of significant importance to theinhabitants according to the Cultural Index (CI), such as Manihot esculenta, Theobroma cacao, Bixa orellana, Musa paradisiaca, Ficus insipida, among others. It can be concluded that the flora plays a prominent role in the life of the community, with the categories reporting the highest number of species being: food (29.35%), medicine (28.36%), culture (9.95%), construction (9.45%), lumber (6.97%), commerce (3.48%), craftsmanship (2.49%), toxic (2.49%), and other uses (7.46%)
Se determinó la importancia cultural de la flora empleada por la comunidad nativa Asheninka Sheremashe, en Ucayali, Perú. Para ello, se realizó un trabajo de campo de más de 4 meses, donde se aplicaron entrevistas semiestructuradas a 106 habitantes mediante un muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia. La comunidad emplea 139 especies vegetales en su día a día, pertenecientes a 120 géneros y 52 familias; siendo las más abundantes las Fabaceae, Arecaceae, Malvaceae, Solanaceae, Poaceae y Rutaceae. Además, el 25.9% de las especies tiene gran importancia para los pobladores según el Índice Cultural (IC): Manihot esculenta, Theobroma cacao, Bixa orellana, Musa paradisiaca, Ficus insipida, entre otras. Se concluye que la flora tiene un rol preponderante en la vida de la comunidad, siendo las categorías que presentaron mayor reporte de especies: alimentación (29.35%), medicina (28.36%), cultura (9.95%), construcción (9.45%), aserrío (6.97%), comercio (3.48%), artesanía (2.49%), tóxico (2.49%) y otros usos (7.46%)
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Ethnobotany , Medicine, Traditional , Peru , Surveys and Questionnaires , Flora , Herbal MedicineABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of modified Liuwei Dihuangtang in preventing and treating renal injury in diabetic kidney disease （DKD） via the angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 （ACE1）/angiotensin Ⅱ （AngⅡ）/angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor （AT1R） axis. MethodFifty male SD rats were randomized into a normal group （n=8） and a modeling group （n=42）. The rats in the modeling group were fed with a high-sugar and high-fat diet for 6 weeks and intraperitoneally injected with 35 mg·kg-1 streptozotocin （STZ） to establish the model of DKD. After successful modeling， the rats were randomized into model， traditional Chinese medicine （modified Liuwei Dihuangtang granules 21 g·kg-1）， western medicine （losartan potassium， 33 mg·kg-1）， and integrated Chinese and western medicine （losartan potassium 33 mg·kg-1 combined with modified Liuwei Dihuangtang granules 21 g·kg-1） groups. The levels of fasting blood glucose （FBG）， urinary protein （Up）， blood urea nitrogen （Bun）， and serum creatinine （SCr） were measured in each group after 8 consecutive weeks of drug intervention. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the serum levels of ACE1， AngⅡ， and AT1R. Western blot was employed to measure the protein levels of ACE1， AngⅡ， and AT1R in the renal tissue. The pathological and morphological changes of the renal tissue were observed after hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Masson staining， and periodic acid Schiff 's （PAS） staining. The fecal samples of rats in each group were collected for 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed elevated levels of Up， FBG， Bun， SCr， ACE1， AngⅡ， and AT1R （P<0.01）， serious lesions in the renal tissue， up-regulated protein levels of ACE1， AngⅡ， and AT1R （P<0.01）， increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes （F/B） ratio， decreased relative abundance of Lactobacillus， and increased relative abundance of Moralella and Bifidobacteria. Compared with the model group， drug intervention lowered the levels of Bun， SCr， ACE1， AngⅡ， and AT1R （P<0.01） and alleviated the pathological changes in the renal tissue. Chinese medicine and integrated Chinese and western medicine lowered the levels of Up and FBG （P<0.01）， and western medicine and integrated Chinese and western medicine down-regulated the protein levels of ACE1， AngⅡ， and AT1R. In addition， Chinese medicine down-regulated the protein levels of AngⅡ （P<0.01） as well as ACE1 and AT1R （P<0.05）. Chinese medicine and integrated Chinese and western medicine decreased the F/B ratio， and western medicine and Chinese medicine increased the relative abundance of Blautia. Chinese medicine and integrated Chinese and western medicine increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus， Ruminococcus undetermined genera， and Bifidobacteria， decreased the relative abundance of Moralella， and increased the Chao 1 and Ace indexes （P<0.05）. Compared with the western medicine group， the integrated Chinese and western medicine group showed lowered levels of Up （P<0.01）， Bun （P<0.05）， and ACE1 and AT1R （P<0.01）， down-regulated protein levels of ACE1， AngⅡ， and AT1R （P<0.05）， alleviated pathological changes in the renal tissue， increased relative abundance of Bifidobacteria， and increased Chao 1 and Ace indexes （P<0.05）. ConclusionModified Liuwei Dihuangtang combined with losartan potassium can mitigate renal fibrosis by regulating the ACE1/AngⅡ/AT1R axis， increasing the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium， reducing the relative abundance of Moralella， improving the richness and evenness of intestinal flora， and alleviating pathological damage in the renal tissue.
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ObjectiveThe angiosperm phylogeny group （APG） Ⅳ system is currently the latest angiosperm classification system. The APG system based on DNA sequence can more naturally reflect the phylogeny and evolution of plants， which has been widely recognized and applied in scientific research and teaching of plants in other countries. Through the comparison between the changes in the APG Ⅳ system and the traditional plant classification system， the changes in the taxonomic status of the original plants of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia were reviewed. MethodBy referring to the literature in China and abroad， the changes in the taxonomic status of the original plants of TCM recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia were sorted out according to the basic groups of angiosperms in the APG Ⅳ system， including the basal group of ANA， the magnoliid and chloranthales， the basal groups of monocots and eudicots， the superrosids， and the superasterids. ResultThere are about 72 species of TCM in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. A total of 76 species of the original plants change in family grade according to the APG Ⅳ system. There are 22 species of TCM belonging to the dicotyledon class， involving 26 species of the original plants. It should be placed in front of the differentiation of monocotyledons and eudicotyledons according to the APG Ⅳ system. ConclusionThis paper largely clarifies the change in the taxonomic status of the original plants of TCM in Chinese Pharmacopoeia according to the APG Ⅳ system， which is helpful to the reviewing literature in China and abroad for the original plants of TCM and facilitates the international academic exchange for TCM. It provides a reference for the revision of textbooks such as Botany and Medicinal Botany in Chinese colleges and universities and will lay the foundation for updating the content of Chinese Pharmacopoeia in the future.
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OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement effects of limonin on intestinal injury and intestinal flora disturbance in rats with ulcerative colitis （UC） and its mechanism. METHODS UC rat models were established， and 70 rats with successful modeling were randomly divided into model group， limonin low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （12.5， 25， 50 mg/kg）， and sulfasalazine group （positive control group，500 mg/kg）， with 14 rats in each group. Another 14 rats were selected as the control group. After modeling， each group was given the corresponding drug or equal amount of normal saline， once a day， for 2 weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last administration， the general condition of rats was observed and the body weight was measured， and colon tissue was collected for colonic mucosal damage index （CMDI） scoring； the levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in colon tissue were detected； the pathological changes of colon tissue were observed； the protein expressions of Claudin-1， Occludin， ZO-1， high mobility group protein B1 （HMGB1） and receptor for advanced glycation end products （RAGE） in colon tissue were detected； fecal 16S rRNA sequencing was used to detect the relative abundance of zhangxiaxia5287@163.com intestinal microbiota in rats. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the rats in the model group were in poor mental state， with darker fur， irritable mood， disordered arrangement of colon glands， inflammatory cell infiltration， cell necrosis and edema； CMDI score， the levels of IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α， protein expressions of HMGB1 and RAGE in colon tissue， the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were significantly increased （P＜0.05）； body weight， the protein expressions of Claudin-1， Occludin and ZO-1 in colon tissue， the relative abundance of Firmicutes in the intestine were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， general situation and pathological damage of colonic tissue in limonin groups were improved， the levels of the above indicators were significantly reversed （P＜0.05）， and in a dose-dependent manner （P＜0.05）； there was no significant difference in various indexes between sulfasalazine group and limonin high-dose group （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Limonin can improve intestinal injury and intestinal flora disturbance in UC model rats， the mechanism of which may be associated with the down-regulation of HMGB1/RAGE signaling pathway.
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Ulcerative colitis （UC） is a chronic， non-specific inflammatory bowel disease. The pathogenesis of this disease is complex and is attributed to multiple factors. Intestinal mucosal barrier damage is the basic pathological change of UC， and intestinal flora disorder is one of the important characteristics of UC. Intestinal flora plays a key role in the pathological process of UC by regulating intestinal mucosal immunity and inflammatory response to repair the damaged intestinal mucosal barrier. At present， western medicine has the advantages of rapid action onset and significant short-term efficacy， but the curative effect of long-term use is not good， accompanied by many adverse reactions， causing great physical and mental pain to patients. Therefore， it is urgent to explore new treatment methods with definite long-term efficacy and mild adverse reactions. A large number of studies have shown that Chinese medicine can regulate intestinal flora through multiple targets in an all-around way， restore the homeostasis of the flora， and repair the damaged intestinal mucosal barrier， thereby inhibiting the progression of UC. Numerous studies have shown that the active components， monomers， and compounds of Chinese medicine can effectively antagonize UC by regulating the intestinal flora to improve the intestinal mucosal immunity， reduce the inflammatory response of the intestinal mucosa， and restore the normal physiological function of the intestinal mucosal barrier， providing a new strategy for UC prevention and treatment. Although there are some studies of the regulation of intestinal flora by Chinese medicine to prevent and treat UC， those studies have the shortcomings of systematic and comprehensive inadequacy. Therefore， based on the research status of UC， intestinal flora， and Chinese medicine treatment， this study reviewed the relationship between intestinal flora and UC and clarified the key role of intestinal flora in the occurrence and development of UC. At the same time， this paper comprehensively summarized the Chinese medicine that targeted the regulation of intestinal flora for the treatment of UC in the past five years to provide new strategies and ideas for UC treatment.
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ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of modified Banxia Xiexintang combined with vedolizumab （VDZ） in the treatment of active moderate to severe Crohn's disease （CD） with the syndrome of cold and heat in complexity and the effect of the therapy on intestinal flora. MethodEighty patients were randomized based on the random number table method into a control group （40 cases） and an observation group （40 cases）. The control group was treated with VDZ， and the observation group was treated with modified Banxia Xiexintang （1 bag per day） combined with VDZ. The treatment in both groups lasted for 14 weeks and the follow-up lasted until the 52th weeks. The CD activity index （CDAI）， CD simplified endoscopic score （SES-CD）， inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire （IBDQ） score， and syndrome score of cold and heat in complexity were assessed before treatment， after treatment， and at the end of follow-up. The levels of hemoglobin （HGB）， hematocrit （HCT）， albumin （ALB）， C-reactive protein （CRP）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-17 （IL-17）， and fecal calprotectin （FC） were measured before and after treatment. Intestinal flora was examined before and after treatment. The safety of the therapy was evaluated. ResultCompared with those before treatment， the scores of CDAI， SES-CD， and the syndrome of cold and heat in complexity decreased （P<0.05） and the IBDQ score increased after treatment （P<0.05）. Compared with those before treatment， the scores of CDAI， SES-CD， and the syndrome of cold and heat in complexity increased （P<0.05） and the IBDQ score decreased （P<0.05） at the end of follow-up. After treatment and at the end of follow-up， the observation group had lower scores of CDAI， SES-CD， and syndrome of cold and heat （P<0.05） and higher IBDQ score （P<0.05） than the control group. Moreover， the observation group had higher clinical remission rate（χ2=4.381，3.962） and response rate（χ2=5.541，4.306） and lower non-response rate（χ2=6.646，4.306） than the control group at the two time points （P<0.05）. The endoscopic remission rate（χ2=4.072，3.985） and response rate（χ2=4.528，5.161） in the observation group were higher than those in the control group （P<0.05）. After treatment， the HGB， HCT， and ALB levels in both groups elevated， and the observation group had higher levels than the control group （P<0.05）. The treatment in both groups lowered the levels of CRP， IL-6， TNF-α， IL-17， and FC （P<0.05）， and the observation group had lower levels of CRP， IL-6， TNF-α， IL-17， and FC than the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. The relative abundance of Bifidobacterium， Lactobacillus， and Prevotella increased （P<0.05）， while that of Proteus， Klebsiella， and Enterococcus decreased （P<0.05） in the two groups after treatment. Moreover， the changes in the relative abundance of these bacteria in the observation group were more obvious than those in the control group （P<0.05）. No adverse reactions related to the modified Modified Banxia Xiexintang were observed during the study period. ConclusionModified Banxia Xiexintang combined with VDZ can play a synergistic role and has good short-term and long-term efficacy. This therapy can improve the nutritional status， regulate intestinal flora， and reduce inflammatory injury in the treatment of moderate to severe active CD patients with the syndrome of cold and heat in complexity without causing severe adverse reactions.
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Aim To evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of the total phenylpropanoid glycosides extracted from Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) Blume (LRTPG) on hyperlipidemic golden hamsters and explore its regulatory effect on intestinal flora. Methods Sixty hamsters were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a positive drug group, LRTPG-L group, LRTPG-M group, and LRTPG-H group. After the successful induction of the model by high-fat diet, the animals were continuously administered for four weeks, and their blood lipids and liver lipids were detected. The formed feces from the colorectal region of the hamsters in the control group, model group and LRTPG-H group were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing. Results LRTPG reduced serum TG, TC, LDL-C and liver TG, TC concentrations significantly in hyperlipidemic hamsters. The results of the intestinal microbiota sequencing showed that compared to the control group, LRTPG significantly decreased the relative abundance of the phylum Firmicutes and increased the relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia (P < 0.01) at the phylum level. At the family level, LRTPG significantly increased the relative abundance of Christensenellaceae, Peptococcaceae, and Verrucomicrobiaceae (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). At the genus level, LRTPG significantly increased the relative abundance of Oscillospira, Oscillibacter, Flavonifractor and Akkermansiaceae (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). These changes in the flora were beneficial to the hypolipidemic effect of LRTPG. Conclusion LRTPG may exert its hypolipidemic effect by improving the intestinal flora disorder caused by a high-fat diet in golden hamsters.
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Chronic constipation （CC） is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal diseases. At present， the overall therapeutic effect of CC is still not satisfactory worldwide， which seriously affects the quality of life and social function of patients. The etiology and pathophysiological mechanism of constipation are still unclear. It involves comprehensive factors such as heredity， social psychology， diet， intestinal flora imbalance， intestinal motility disorder， visceral sensitivity change， pelvic floor muscle group dysfunction and enteric nervous system （ENS） disorder. Among them， the abnormal factors of the brain-gut-microbiome axis are particularly significant. The brain-gut-microbiome axis is a complex network of interactions between the intestine and the brain， integrating and coordinating the physiological functions and pathological processes of the gastrointestinal tract. Microorganisms in the intestinal lumen play an important role in it， and can communicate with the intestinal tract and the central nervous system through nerve， endocrine and immune pathways. As a key brain-gut peptide in the regulation pathway of the brain-gut-microbiome axis， 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） is involved in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility， sensation and secretion. The abnormal conduction of the 5-HT signaling pathway is closely related to the occurrence and development of constipation. Traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） is a unique precious resource in China， which has good curative effects and safety. In recent years， it has received extensive attention in the treatment of constipation. TCM and active ingredients， acupuncture and massage specifically regulate 5-HT signal transmission， so that the expressions of related molecules tend to be suitable for individual disease state levels to effectively improve constipation symptoms， with unique advantages. Therefore， this study used ''constipation''， ''intestinal flora''， ''5-HT''， and ''traditional Chinese medicine'' as the keywords to search PubMed， China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI） and other literature databases. The correlation between 5-HT and constipation as well as brain-gut-microbiome axis and the research progress of TCM intervention in the 5-HT signaling pathway in the treatment of constipation were reviewed in order to explore the potential therapeutic value of 5-HT system in this disease and provide references for subsequent research.
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The clinical changes of ulcerative colitis （UC） with the main syndrome of large intestine dampness-heat and the alterations of intestinal flora in UC were summarized to reveal the underlying mechanism. After review of the treatment methods for UC with the syndrome of large intestine dampness-heat， we identified the representative traditional Chinese medicines and compound prescriptions and explored the treatment mechanisms. Furthermore， we probed into the associations of UC and the treatment methods with the intestinal flora. The related articles were retrieved from China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）. The available studies have shown that Akkermansia muciniphila， Escherichia coli， Enterococcus， and probiotics such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are closely associated with Chinese medicines in UC patients with the syndrome of large intestine dampness-heat. However， due to the shortcomings in clinical research and the susceptibility of intestinal flora to diverse factors， it is still challenging to accurately characterize the intestinal flora changes associated with diseases. Additionally， the research on the mechanisms of Chinese medicines in regulating intestinal flora in UC patients with the syndrome of large intestine dampness-heat remains to be improved. The feasibility of using Chinese medicines and compound prescriptions for precise regulation of intestinal flora in these patients is still debatable. In this regard， scientific issues such as the biological connotation of UC with the syndrome of large intestine dampness-heat and the correlation between syndrome and intestinal flora have become primary research tasks. Additionally， attention should also be paid to the interactions between the intestinal lumen exposure profile of Chinese medicines and intestinal flora. Finally， the thinking of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and the concepts of modern medicine should be combined for the research on the formulation of TCM regimens for regulating intestinal flora in treating UC.
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ObjectiveTo explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Yiqi Huoxue Tongbian prescription on slow transit constipation （STC） in rats. MethodThe rat model of STC was established by gavage of loperamide hydrochloride. Rats were assigned into control， model， mosapride， low-， medium-， and high-dose （3.51， 7.02， and 14.04 g·kg-1， respectively） Yiqi Huoxue Tongbian prescription groups. The changes of general signs， fecal moisture content， and intestinal propulsion rate were measured after model establishment and drug administration. The colonic mucosal changes were observed by hematoxylin eosin staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the content of substance P （SP） and vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP） in the colon of rats in each group. The gray values of aquaporin （AQP） 3， AQP4， AQP8， and c-Kit in rat colon tissue were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot， and the changes of intestinal flora were detected by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. ResultCompared with the model group， 10 days of treatment with Yiqi Huoxue Tongbian prescription increased the fecal moisture content and intestinal propulsion rate （P<0.01）. The medium- and high-dose Yiqi Huoxue Tongbian prescription groups and the mosapride group showed no obvious mucosal inflammation and neat arrangement of goblet cells with a large number in the colon tissue. Moreover， the three groups showed increased SP content （P<0.01） and decreased VIP content （P<0.01） in the serum. The medium- and high-dose Yiqi Huoxue Tongbian prescription groups showed down-regulated protein levels of AQP3， AQP4， and AQP8 （P<0.01） and up-regulated protein level of c-Kit （P<0.01）. The drug administration groups presented slightly increased observed species， Chao1， ACE， and Shannon， Simpson， and PD whole tree. The principal component analysis showed that the control group had a short distance with the high- and medium-dose Yiqi Huoxue Tongbian prescription groups， indicating that high- and medium-dose Yiqi Huoxue Tongbian prescription can recover the intestinal flora to that in the control group. ConclusionYiqi Huoxue Tongbian prescription can alleviate the defecation status of rats with slow transit constipation by down-regulating the expression of AQP3， AQP4， and AQP8 to reduce the absorption of water in the intestine， up-regulating the expression of c-Kit to increase the number and distribution of Cajal interstitial cells， and regulating the balance of flora in the colon tissue.
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ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Dahuang Zhechongwan （DHZCW） on adenine-induced renal fibrosis in rats from the perspective of intestinal flora. MethodThirty-six SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， and high-， medium- and low-dose DHZCW groups （0.168， 0.084， 0.042 g·kg-1）， and a pirfenidone group （200 mg·kg-1）， with 6 rats in each group. Except for those in the blank group， rats in other groups were treated with adenine suspension （250 mg·kg-1） by gavage for 28 days for renal fibrosis model induction. Subsequently， they received drug intervention for 4 weeks. Urine samples were collected from rats in metabolic cages， and renal function indicators including blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， urea， creatinine （Crea）， cystatin C （Cys C）， and 24-hour urine protein （24 h TP） were measured. Kidney samples were collected and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Masson's trichrome staining to observe the pathological changes in rat renal tissues. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of key effector proteins α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， type Ⅰ collagen （ColⅠ）， and type Ⅲ collagen （ColⅢ） in the kidneys. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA was used to analyze the species diversity of rat intestinal flora. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed increased BUN， urea， Crea， Cys C， and 24 h TP levels （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-， medium-， and low-dose DHZCW groups， as well as the pirfenidone group， showed significant reductions in BUN， urea， Crea， Cys C， and 24 h TP levels （P<0.01）， indicating that DHZCW intervention significantly improved renal function. In the model group， renal tissues exhibited significant fibrotic changes， and the protein levels of α-SMA， ColⅠ， and ColⅢ were significantly increased （P<0.01） compared to those in the blank group. Compared with the model group， the high-dose DHZCW group and the pirfenidone group had relatively normal tissue structure， with no significant pathological damage observed. However， fibrotic changes were observed in the medium- and low-dose DHZCW groups， with the changes being more significant in the low-dose group. The protein levels of α-SMA， ColⅠ， and ColⅢ were significantly decreased in the high-， medium-， and low-dose DHZCW groups， as well as the pirfenidone group （P<0.01）， indicating that DHZCW effectively reduced abnormal collagen deposition and inhibited renal fibrosis. From the perspective of intestinal flora， at the phylum level， compared with the blank group， the model group showed a significant increase in the abundance of Firmicutes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes， leading to a significant imbalance in their ratio. At the family level， the model group decreased the abundance of Lachnospiraceae， Prevotellaceae， and Bacteroidota_unclassified， and increased the abundance of Ruminococcaceae， Lactobacillaceae， and Oscillospiraceae. At the genus level， the model group showed significantly reduced abundance of Firmicutes_unclassified， Bacteroidota_unclassified， and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001， etc.， and increased abundance of UCG-005， Clostridia_UCG-014_unclassified， etc. Compared with the model group， DHZCW effectively reduced the abundance of potential pathogenic bacteria and increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria， regulating the intestinal flora. ConclusionDHZCW can effectively improve renal function and inhibit renal fibrosis， and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of intestinal flora.
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Intestinal flora plays an important role in maintaining the body's immune balance, digestion, and nutrient absorption. Thyroid function mainly includes the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones and the regulation of metabolic balance in the body. When the body’s thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion are too little or too much, it will lead to thyroid diseases. Studies have shown that intestinal flora may affect the occurrence and development of thyroid diseases by participating in thyroid metabolism, immune regulation, cross immunoreaction, and interaction with thyroid-related predisposing factors. Understanding the structural changes and functional mechanisms of intestinal flora during the occurrence and development of thyroid diseases can provide a new basis for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases and improvement of clinical prognosis.
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Coronary heart disease (CHD) has become a major public health issue in China. Gut microbiota has gradually become a CHD research hotspot in terms of auxiliary diagnosis, treatment and prevention targets. Results from multiple studies have shown that gut microbiota dysbiosis may mediate the process of CHD directly or indirectly through their metabolites, and some intestinal probiotics could inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis. The research advances on the related mechanism and their diagnostic efficacy as biomarkers of gut microbiota and metabolites in CHD are reviewed here to provide a reference for current and future clinical application.
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Objective:To investigate the effect of Clostridium butyricum on renal tissue of db/db mice and to explore its mechanism. Methods:Fourteen-week-old db/db mice were divided into db/db group( n=10) and db/db+ Cb group( n=7) according to random number table method. Age-matched db/m mice were selected as the normal control group. The db/m and db/db mice were administered 0.9% sodium chloride solution by gavage, while the db/db+ Cb mice were administered an equivalent amount of Clostridium butyricum solution by gavage for 8 weeks. Serum creatinine , fasting blood glucose, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio(ACR) and other biochemical indicators were also detected. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of kidney tissue. The expressions of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α(PGC-1α) mRNA were detected by realtime PCR, while the expressions of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB), glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor(GLP-1R), and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK) in kidney tissue were determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The levels of intestinal flora, serum and fecal short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs) were measured by 16S rRNA, liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer, and gas chromatograohy-mass spectrometry respectively. Results:Compared to db/db mice, db/db+ Cb mice showed improvement in general condition after supplementation with Clostridium butyricum. Fasting blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen, albumin-to-creatinine ratio(ACR), blood creatinine, and levels of interleukin-6(IL-6) in kidney tissue were reduced(all P<0.05). The pathology showed various degrees of amelioration of kidney tissue injury in mice. The expression of PGC-1α mRNA increased in kidney tissue( P<0.05). Decreased expression of NF-κB protein, as well as increased expression of GLP-1R and phosphorylated(p-)AMPK/AMPK protein(all P<0.05) were detected in kidney tissues. Clostridium butyricum modulated the composition of the gut microbiota with elevated total SCFAs in blood and feces. Conclusion:Clostridium butyricum increased the expression of GLP-1R in kidney tissue, promoted AMPK phosphorylation, and alleviated renal tissue damage in mice. This suggests that it may be associated with regulating the abundance of SCFA-producing bacterial populations.
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Objective:To explore the relationship between the neural development of preterm infants and gut microbiota.Methods:66 premature infants who were hospitalized in the Neonatology Department of Hunan Children′s Hospital from September 2018 to September 2019 were included in the study. Their fecal samples and clinical data from the first admission were collected. According to the neurodevelopment, the patients were divided into normal neurodevelopment group and neurodysplasia group. The bacterial DNA of fecal samples was extracted by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis was conducted to compare the composition and diversity of gut microbiota between the two groups.Results:(1) The Shannon index of gut microbiota in normal neurodevelopmental group and neurodysplastic group was 0.89(0.41, 1.51) and 1.01(0.47, 1.31), respectively. There was no significant difference in diversity index between the two groups ( P>0.05). (2) Bifidobacterium, veronica and negativites in the gut microbiota of the normal neurodevelopmental group were significantly higher (all P<0.05), and streptococcus in the gut microbiota of the dysplastic group were significantly higher ( P<0.05). The gut microbiota of the two groups were mainly enterococcus and escherichia shigella. Conclusions:At the genus level, enterococcus and escherichia are the dominant flora of early gut microbiota in preterm infants. Gut microbiota is related to the neural development of preterm infants. The increased abundance of streptococcus, and the decreased abundance of bifidobacterium, veronicus, and negativites may be risk factors for neurodysplasia of preterm infants. The diversity of gut microbiota in early preterm infants may not be significantly related to neural development.
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Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic bone disease characterized by decreased bone density and damage to bone microstructure, leading to brittle fractures. It is a multifactorial disease that is more common in postmenopausal women, and its high incidence and serious complications are receiving increasing attention. Currently, clinical anti-osteoporosis drugs are mainly divided into two categories: inhibiting bone resorption and promoting bone formation, including bisphosphonates, calcitonin and estrogen, etc. But the side effects and high economic cost of drugs limit the scope of their use to some extent. In recent years, the effect of intestinal flora on bone health, especially on osteoporosis, has become a potential new target for regulating bone density. Probiotics belong to intestinal flora and are defined as living microorganisms. They have initially shown good efficacy in the treatment of some bone metabolic diseases, suggesting that intestinal flora can be used as a potential target for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and the application of probiotics as a new therapeutic method for osteoporosis. This paper mainly reviews the relevant studies on probiotics and osteoporosis, shows the latest research progress of probiotics intervention in OP, clarifies the relevant action mechanism of probiotics intervention in OP through intestinal tract, and analyzes the research status and prospect of probiotics treatment in OP.
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Objective:To investigate the effect of Liangxue Huoxue decoction on intestinal flora, intestinal barrier and NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)/caspase-1/gasdermin D (GSDMD) pyroptosis signaling pathway in mice model of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods:The model of AKI was established by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). Thirty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into sham operation group (Sham group), sepsis group (CLP group) and sepsis+Liangxue Huoxue decoction (CLP+LXHX group), with 10 mice in each group. Mice in Sham group only underwent laparotomy. Two hours before model establishment, mice in CLP+LXHX group were treated with Liangxue Huoxue decoction (6 g/kg) by gavage; mice in Sham group and CLP group were given equal volume of normal saline by gavages. After 24 hours of modeling, all mice were sacrificed under anesthesia, and the colon and kidney tissues and fresh feces in the colon were taken. The pathological changes of kidney and colon were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining under light microscope. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect inflammatory factors (interleukins, IL-1β and IL-18) in renal tissue. The expressions of NLRP3, caspase-1 and GSDMD were detected by Western blotting. The changes of intestinal flora in mice were detected by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing.Results:Compared with the Sham group, the inflammatory cell infiltration of the kidney tissue was increased and the kidney became vacuolated in CLP group, the mRNA expressions of IL-1β, IL-18, and the protein expressions of NLRP3, caspase-1 and GSDMD were significantly increased in CLP group, the species richness of intestinal microflora decreased significantly, the relative abundance of Enterococcus and Escherichia-Shigella increased significantly, and the relative abundance of Ileibacterium, Alloprevotella, Lachnospiraceae, Klebsiella and Parasutterella increased significantly in CLP group. Compared with CLP group, Liangxue Huoxue decoction can significantly reduce the pathological changes of kidney and colon tissue, reduce the pathological score (1.75±0.43 vs. 3.50±0.50 for kidney tissue, 1.25±0.43 vs. 4.50±0.50 for colon tissue, both P < 0.05), improve the composition of intestinal flora, reduce the relative abundance of Enterococcus and Escherichia-Shigella, and significantly increase the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Akkermansia. In addition, Liangxue Huoxue decoction can significantly reduce mRNA expressions of IL-1β and IL-18 in kidney tissue [IL-1β mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 1.59±0.05 vs. 4.61±0.88, IL-18 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 1.69±0.17 vs. 2.86±0.63, both P < 0.05] and the protein expressions of NLRP3, caspase-1 and GSDMD (NLRP3/GAPDH: 0.71±0.04 vs. 0.89±0.01, caspase-1/GAPDH: 1.04±0.04 vs. 1.48±0.04, GSDMD/GAPDH: 0.90±0.01 vs. 1.41±0.02, all P < 0.05). Conclusions:Liangxue Huoxue decoction has obvious protective effect on AKI induced by sepsis. It can improve intestinal barrier by regulating intestinal flora, thereby inhibiting the activation of NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD signaling pathway in kidney tissue and reducing the expression of proptosis-related inflammatory factors.
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Objective:To explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Dachengqi decoction on patients with mild acute pancreatitis (MAP).Methods:A parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted. Sixty-eight patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) admitted to Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)-Integrated Hospital from March 2018 to February 2021 were enrolled. Referring to the condition on admission of the patients and whether they agreed to receive the Dachengqi decoction or not, they were divided into conventional treatment group and Dachengqi decoction group according to the principle of 1∶1 equal randomness. Meanwhile, 20 healthy volunteers were recruited as controls. Both groups of patients were treated with octreotide, fasting, gastrointestinal decompression, antipyretic and analgesic, anti-inflammatory, inhibition of gastric acid and pancreatic juice secretion, maintenance of electrolyte balance and other western conventional medicine. The patients in the Dachengqi decoction group received Dachengqi decoction orally on the basis of routine treatment, 100 mL each time, twice a day, for seven consecutive days. The inflammation parameters [white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6)] before and after treatment and the recovery time of gastrointestinal function (first exhaust time, time to recover bowel sounds, first defecation time) of patients were recorded. 16S rRNA gene sequencing of stool samples was recorded, and normalized data were obtained after quality control and other related processing. The data were subjected to diversity analysis (Alpha diversity and Beta diversity) and linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis (LEfSe analysis) to observe changes in the gut microbiota of MAP patients. Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between inflammatory indexes and microorganisms at the intestinal genus level. Blood, urine, stool samples, renal function, and electrocardiogram (ECG) during treatment of MAP patients were detected to assess the safety of the treatment.Results:Of the 68 patients with AP, 16 were excluded from moderate-severe AP, 4 were not collected or voluntarily abandoned treatment. Finally, 48 patients with MAP were enrolled, 24 in the conventional treatment group and 24 in the Dachengqi decoction group. The inflammation parameters levels at 7 days of treatment in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment. CRP, PCT and IL-6 levels in the Dachengqi decoction group were significantly lower than those in the conventional treatment group [CRP (mg/L): 8.50 (3.50, 13.00) vs. 16.00 (9.25, 29.75), PCT (μg/L): 0.06 (0.03, 0.08) vs. 0.09 (0.05, 0.11), IL-6 (ng/L): 6.36 (3.96, 10.79) vs. 13.24 (6.69, 18.87), all P < 0.05]. The first exhaust time, time to recover bowel sounds and first defecation time in the Dachengqi decoction group were significantly shorter than those in the conventional treatment group [first exhaust time (days): 1.62±0.65 vs. 2.80±0.65, time to recover bowel sounds (days): 1.13±0.58 vs. 2.31±0.76, first defecation time (days): 3.12±0.75 vs. 4.39±0.76, all P < 0.05]. The analysis of intestinal microflora diversity showed that both the diversity and abundance of microbial communities were the highest in the healthy control group and the lowest in the conventional treatment group. In addition, the coincidence degree of microbial communities in healthy controls and MAP patients was small, while the coincidence degree of MAP patients among different treatment methods was relatively large. LEfSe analysis showed that Dachengqi decoction reduced the relative abundance of Escherichia coli-Shigella and Clostridium erysipelae, and increased the relative abundance of three beneficial bacteria, namely Lactobacillus, Rombutzia and Brutella. In the intestines of MAP patients, Lactobacillus mucilaginus and Lactobacillus conjunctus were significantly enriched. Correlation analysis showed that positive correlations between Escherichia coli- Shigella and the four inflammatory indicators including WBC, CRP, PCT, IL-6 were statistically significant ( r value was 0.31, 0.41, 0.57, 0.43, respectively, all P < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between other bacteria and inflammatory indicators. During the treatment, there was no obvious abnormality in blood, urine and feces, renal function and ECG of MAP patients. Conclusions:Dachengqi decoction could reduce inflammatory responses and promote recovery of intestinal microecological balance and gastrointestinal function in patients with MAP by regulating the composition of intestinal flora. No significant adverse effects were observed during the treatment period.
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Objective:To investigate the effects of probiotics on intestinal flora, intestinal function, and T lymphocyte level in patients with cervical cancer after radiotherapy.Methods:A total of 92 patients with cervical cancer who underwent pelvic radiotherapy in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from September 2020 to February 2022 were included in this study. They were randomly divided into control and experimental groups ( n = 46/group). The patients in the experimental group took probiotics during radiotherapy, while the patients in the control group did not take probiotics during radiotherapy. The amount of intestinal flora, D-lactic acid, diamine oxidase, and T lymphocyte subset levels pre- and post-radiotherapy were compared between the two groups. Urinary lactulose (L) and mannitol (M) concentrations were determined in each group. Urinary excretion ratios of L to M were calculated. Results:After 10, 15, and 20 times of radiotherapy and after all radiotherapies, the amount of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group ( F = 128.60, 224.99, all P < 0.05). The amount of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( F = 2 065.46, 948.23, both P < 0.05). After 10, 15, and 20 times of radiotherapy and after all radiotherapies, plasma D-lactic acid level in the experimental group was (9.34 ± 1.63) μg/L, (9.15 ± 1.36) μg/L, (8.68 ± 1.06) μg/L, and (8.05 ± 0.82) μg/L, respectively. After 10, 15, and 20 times of radiotherapy and after all radiotherapies, plasma diamine oxidase level in the experimental group was (86.34 ± 20.25) μg/L, (84.28 ± 17.45) μg/L, (80.40 ± 13.35) μg/L, and (76.85 ± 10.87) μg/L, respectively, and urinary excretion ratio of L to M in the experimental group was (1.84 ± 0.16), (1.55 ± 0.12), (1.26 ± 0.09), (0.98 ± 0.06), respectively, all of which were significantly lower than those in the control group ( F = 121.60, 31.73, 417.84, all P < 0.05). After 10, 15, and 20 times of radiotherapy and after all radiotherapies, CD4 + level in the experimental group was (39.80 ± 4.90)%, (40.92 ± 5.30)%, (42.52 ± 6.14)%, (43.83 ± 6.55)%, respectively, CD4 +/CD8 + was (1.52 ± 0.25), (1.63 ± 0.22), (1.71 ± 0.39), (1.83 ± 0.22), respectively, all of which were significantly higher than those in the control group ( F = 58.69, 31.07, all P < 0.05). Conclusion:Probiotics can improve the status of intestinal flora and intestinal barrier function in patients with cervical cancer after radiotherapy, and simultaneously improve the cellular immune function of patients.
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Objective:To investigate the effects of modified Buzhong Yiqi Decoction on intestinal microflora in a rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods:From April to June 2021, 60 specific pathogen-free Wistar rats were selected for this study. They were randomly divided into blank control, model, traditional Chinese medicine, and western medicine groups with 15 rats per group. Rat models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with lung and spleen deficiency were established in all groups except the blank control group. Rat models in the traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine groups were administered modified Buzhong Yiqi Decoction and synbiotics. Rat models in the model and blank control groups were identically administered 0.9% sodium chloride injection. After 7 days, the feces of rats in each group were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing of intestinal flora. Effective sequences were clustered to obtain operational taxonomic units for principal coordinate analysis, species composition analysis, and alpha diversity analysis. The effects of modified Buzhong Yiqi Decoction on the structure, diversity, and abundance changes of intestinal flora were analyzed. Results:The dominant bacteria in the traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine groups were Firmicutes, while the dominant bacteria in the blank control and model groups were Bacteroides. The dominant bacterial groups in each group were mainly Lactobacillus and Bacteroides. Alpha diversity analysis showed that the Shannon index in the community diversity indices of traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine, and blank control groups was (3.65 ± 0.35), (3.65 ± 0.36), and (3.59 ± 0.20), respectively, which were significantly higher than (3.37 ± 0.26) in the model group ( t = 2.49, 2.44, 2.60, all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the Shannon index among traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine, and blank control groups (all P > 0.05). The Sobs index of the traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine, and blank control group was (458.67 ± 73.11), (454.80 ± 95.13), and (525.93 ± 101.88), respectively, which were significantly higher than (337.40 ± 37.49) in the model group ( t = 5.72, 4.45, 6.73, all P < 0.05). The Sobs index in the blank control group was higher than that in the western medicine group. There was no significant difference in the Sobs index between blank control and traditional Chinese medicine groups and between western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine groups (both P > 0.05). Principal coordinate analysis revealed that compared with the blank control group, Actinomycetes decreased and Proteobacteria and Desulfurization bacteria increased at the phylum level in the model group, while compared with the blank control group, Bacteroides, Rombutzia,Trichospirillus, and Parabacteroides increased, and Prevotella, Clostridium, Brucella, and Ruminococcus decreased at the genus level. Compared with the western medicine group, Bacillus, Prevotella, Brucella, and Prevotellidae in the traditional Chinese medicine group increased, while Clostridium, Pectinobacter, Christensen, and Trichospirillus decreased in the traditional Chinese medicine group. There was a statistically significant difference in the composition of the bacterial population between groups (all P < 0.05). Conclusion:There is an imbalance in intestinal microecology in a rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Modified Buzhong Yiqi Decoction can regulate the intestinal microecology environment, improve the structure of intestinal flora, and increase the diversity and abundance of intestinal flora.