Role of gut microbiota in identification of novel TCM-derived active metabolites

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been extensively used to ameliorate diseases in Asia for over thousands of years. However, owing to a lack of formal scientific validation, the absence of information regarding the mechanisms underlying TCMs restricts their application. After oral administration, TCM herbal ingredients frequently are not directly absorbed by the host, but rather enter the intestine to be transformed by gut microbiota. The gut microbiota is a microbial community living in animal intestines, and functions to maintain host homeostasis and health. Increasing evidences indicate that TCM herbs closely affect gut microbiota composition, which is associated with the conversion of herbal components into active metabolites. These may significantly affect the therapeutic activity of TCMs. Microbiota analyses, in conjunction with modern multiomics platforms, can together identify novel functional metabolites and form the basis of future TCM research.

Experimental studies of rhizoma Astilbes chinensis on its effects in abirritation, blood activation, cough relieving and sputum elimination / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of rhizoma Astilbes chinensis in abirritation, blood activation, cough relieving and sputum elimination.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The antalgic function of rhizoma A. chinensis was tested by hot-plate method and writhing reaction. The acute blood-stasis model rats were made by Injection of adrenaline hydrochloride along with stimulation by ice water. The effects of cough relieving and sputum elimination were observed by the ammonia water-induced tussive mice and excretion of phenol red in the airway of mice. The maximum tolerance dose of rhizoma A. chinensis was also determined during the acute toxicity test.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The data were analyzed for statistical significance by t-test, which shows that the decoction of rhizoma A. chinensis is significantly effective in reducing the frequency of licking behavior of mice on hot-plate and writhing response induced by acetic acid, improving the hemarheology of acute blood-stasis model rats, prolonging the latent period, reducing the frequency of cough induced byammonia, and in increasing the quantity of phenol red output from the trachea in mice. The result acute toxicity test shows that maximum tolerance dose of gastrogavage in mice was 400 g x kg(-1). Which was 666. 7 times of that clinically used for human.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Rhizoma A. chinensis has the effects of abirritation, blood activation, cough relieving and sputum elimination, and is safe in clinical application.</p>

The Present Status on Classification of Phytoplasmas / 微生物学通报

The history and present status of phytoplasma classification are introduced briefly in this paper.The newly classification methods and rules for the description of Candidatus species are reviewed.The key problems and direction on the classification and identification of phytoplasmas in China are discussed.