Association between metabolic profile and microbiomic changes in rats with functional dyspepsia

Targeted metabolomics revealed the mechanisms underlying the role of Liansu capsule in ameliorating functional dyspepsia

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Liansu capsule could alleviate dyspeptic symptoms; however, the mechanisms underlying its role in treating functional dyspepsia (FD) remain unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To elucidate the mechanism underlying the efficacy of Liansu capsule in alleviating FD symptoms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-six male mice were randomly divided into the following six groups: control, model, low-strength Liansu, moderate-strength Liansu, high-strength Liansu, and domperidone groups. Small intestine propulsion rate, gastric residual rate and histopathological analysis were performed to evaluate efficacy of Liansu capsule. Levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor α, phosphorylation of p65, ghrelin and gastrin were verified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence assays. Targeted metabolomic analyses, western blotting and immunofluorescence assays were used to explore the mechanism of Liansu capsule in ameliorating FD.

RESULTS

The Liansu capsule significantly ameliorated the symptoms of FD, and markedly increased the levels of ghrelin and gastrin. Moreover, Liansu capsule significantly downregulated the levels of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor α, and inhibited the phosphorylation of p65. Targeted metabolomic analyses showed that Liansu capsule significantly reduced the levels of deoxycholic acid and hyodeoxycholic acid, which were significantly elevated in the model group. Furthermore, these results showed that deoxycholic acid and hyodeoxycholic acid markedly promoted the levels of Takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5), phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and Kruppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) in vitro. whereas, Liansu capsule significantly reduced the levels of TGR5, phosphorylated STAT3, and KLF5.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicated that Liansu capsule improved FD by regulating the deoxycholic acid/hyodeoxycholic acid-TGR5-STAT3-KLF5 axis. The findings reveal a novel mechanism underlying the role of Liansu capsule, which may be a promising therapeutic strategy for FD.

Probiotic-fermented Qushi decoction alleviates reserpine-induced spleen deficiency syndrome by regulating spleen function and gut microbiota dysbiosis

BACKGROUND

Spleen deficiency syndrome (SDS) is associated with elevated inflammatory factors and dysregulation of gastrointestinal motility hormones and intestinal microbiota. Qushi decoction (QD), a traditional formula, has not been reported using modern scientific research methods for changes in its probiotic fermented QD (FQD) composition and its potential mechanisms to alleviate SDS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the splenic protection of FQD in SDS rats by modulating gastrointestinal motility hormones and intestinal microbiota.

RESULTS

The results showed that FQD increased total polysaccharides, total protein, total flavonoids and the other active ingredients compared to QD, effectively improved splenic inflammation and apoptosis in SDS rats, and modulated gastrointestinal motility hormones to alleviate diarrhea and other symptoms. In addition, the dysregulation of the gut microbiota was reversed by increasing the levels of Bifidobacterium and decreasing the levels of Escherichia-Shigella and Proteobacteria, which may be related to the regulation of bacterial metabolites to alleviate SDS.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that FQD is an effective formula for improving SDS. Our findings show that FQD beneficial to the implications for the treatment of SDS. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Investigating causal associations among gut microbiota, metabolites, and liver diseases: a Mendelian randomization study

Objective

There is some evidence for an association between gut microbiota and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcoholic liver disease (ALD), and viral hepatitis, but no studies have explored their causal relationship.

Methods

Instrumental variables of the gut microbiota (N = 13266) and gut microbiota-derived metabolites (N = 7824) were acquired, and a Mendelian randomization study was performed to explore their influence on NAFLD (1483 European cases and 17,781 European controls), ALD (2513 European cases and 332,951 European controls), and viral hepatitis risk (1971 European cases and 340,528 European controls). The main method for examining causality is inverse variance weighting (IVW).

Results

IVW results confirmed that Anaerotruncus (p = 0.0249), Intestinimonas (p = 0.0237), Lachnoclostridium (p = 0.0245), Lachnospiraceae NC2004 group (p = 0.0083), Olsenella (p = 0.0163), and Peptococcus (p = 0.0472) were protective factors for NAFLD, and Ruminococcus 1 (p = 0.0120) was detrimental for NAFLD. The higher abundance of three genera, Lachnospira (p = 0.0388), Desulfovibrio (p = 0.0252), and Ruminococcus torques group (p = 0.0364), was correlated with a lower risk of ALD, while Ruminococcaceae UCG 002 level was associated with a higher risk of ALD (p = 0.0371). The Alistipes (p = 0.0069) and Ruminococcaceae NK4A214 group (p = 0.0195) were related to a higher risk of viral hepatitis. Besides, alanine (p = 0.0076) and phenyllactate (p = 0.0100) were found to be negatively correlated with NAFLD, while stachydrine (Op = 0.0244) was found to be positively associated with NAFLD. The phenylacetate (p = 0.0353) and ursodeoxycholate (p = 0.0144) had a protective effect on ALD, while the threonate (p = 0.0370) exerted a detrimental influence on ALD. The IVW estimates of alanine (p = 0.0408) and cholate (p = 0.0293) showed their suggestive harmful effects against viral hepatitis, while threonate (p = 0.0401) displayed its suggestive protective effect against viral hepatitis.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our research supported causal links between the gut microbiome and its metabolites and NAFLD, ALD, and viral hepatitis.

Effects of Eimeria acervulina infection on the luminal and mucosal microbiota of the duodenum and jejunum in broiler chickens

The intestinal disease coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria parasites, impacts nutrient absorption in broiler chickens, leading to weight gain depression and major losses in the poultry industry. To develop alternatives to antibiotics for treating infected chickens, the gut microbiota has been researched because of its association with health factors such as nutrient exchange, immune system modulation, digestive system physiology, and pathogen exclusion. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Eimeria acervulina infection on the luminal and mucosal microbiota of both the duodenum (DuoL and DuoM) and jejunum (JejL and JejM) at multiple time points (days 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14) post-infection. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was utilized to characterize the microbiota and analyze differences in alpha and beta diversity between infected (IF) and control (C) birds at each time point. Alpha diversity differed between IF and C birds in DuoM and JejM microbiota. Combined with beta diversity results, DuoM microbiota appeared to be affected by infection in the longer-term, while JejM microbiota were affected in the shorter-term. Relative abundances of bacterial taxa known for short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, such as Lachnospiraceae, Subdoligranulum, and Peptostreptococcaceae, tended to be lower in IF birds for all four microbiota. Moreover, predicted functional abundances showed MetaCyc pathways related to SCFA production, especially butyrate, may be influenced by these differences in bacterial relative abundance. Our findings expand understanding of how Eimeria infection affects luminal and mucosal microbiota in the duodenum and jejunum, and further research on metagenomic function may provide insights on the degree of influence duodenal and jejunal bacteria have on chicken health.

TangNaiKang, herbal formulation, alleviates obesity in diabetic SHR/cp rats through modulation of gut microbiota and related metabolic functions

CONTEXT

Tangnaikang (TNK) is a Chinese herbal formulation that has lipid-lowering effects, but its effect on reducing obesity has not been studied.

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of TNK on obesity and explore its effect on gut microbiota of obese rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The SHR/NDmcr-cp rats were divided into three groups: (1) 3.24 g/kg TNK (High TNK), (2) 1.62 g/kg TNK (Low TNK), and (3) an untreated control (CON). Wistar-Kyoto rats were used as normal controls (WKY). After 8 weeks of TNK oral administration, body weight, abdominal circumference, triglycerides (TC) and total cholesterol (CHO) were measured. Gut microbiota diversity was studied by 16S rDNA sequencing, and metagenomes analysis was conducted to determine alteration in functional gene expression.

RESULTS

The body weight (496.60 ± 6.0 g vs. 523.40 ± 5.6 g), abdomen circumference (24.00 ± 0.11 cm vs. 24.87 ± 0.25 cm), TC (3.04 ± 0.16 mmol/L vs. 4.97 ± 0.21 mmol/L), CHO (2.42 ± 0.15 mmol/L vs. 2.84 ± 0.09 mmol/L) of rats in the High TNK group were decreased significantly (all p < 0.05). TNK administration regulates intestinal flora, up-regulates Eisenbergiella and down-regulates Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, which is beneficial to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Metagenomes analysis shows that TNK is closely related to the fatty acid synthesis pathway.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

TNK can regulate gut microbiota to reduce obesity, which may be related to fatty acid metabolism. Our research supports the clinical application of TNK preparation and provides a new perspective for the treatment of obesity.

An Investigation of the Effect of Water Additives on Broiler Growth and the Caecal Microbiota at Harvest

Campylobacter is the most common foodborne pathogen in developed countries and most cases are associated with poultry. This study investigated the effect of three anti-Campylobacter water additives on broiler growth and on the caecal microbiota at harvest using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Mixtures of organic acids (OA) and essential oils (EO) were administered to broilers for the entirety of the production cycle (35 d) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) for 5 d immediately before harvest, under commercial conditions. Bird weight gain was significantly (p < 0.001) reduced in broilers receiving the OA and EO treatments. While this was most likely due to reduced water intake and corresponding lower feed consumption, changes to the caecal microbiota may also have contributed. Firmicutes made up over 75% of the bacteria regardless of sample type, while the minor phyla included Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Melainabacteria, and Proteobacteria. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in the alpha diversity as measured using ACE, Chao1, and Shannon indices, except for control (water) versus MCFA and OA versus MCFA, using the Wilcox test. In contrast, there was a significant (p < 0.05) difference in beta diversity when the treated were compared to the untreated control and main flock samples, while linear discriminant analysis effect size (LeFSe) identified three OTUs that were present in the control but absent in the treated birds. It was concluded that the water additives tested adversely affected broiler performance, which may, at least in part, be due to changes in the caecal microbiota, assuming that the altered microbiota at day 35 is indicative of a change throughout the production cycle.

Effects of (R)-ketamine on reduced bone mineral density in ovariectomized mice: A role of gut microbiota

Depression is a high risk for osteoporosis, suggesting an association between depression and low bone mineral density (BMD). We reported that the novel antidepressant (R)-ketamine could ameliorate the reduced BMD in the ovariectomized (OVX) mice which is an animal model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Given the role of gut microbiota in depression and bone homeostasis, we examined whether gut microbiota plays a role in the beneficial effects of (R)-ketamine in the reduced BMD of OVX mice. OVX or sham was operated for female mice. Subsequently, saline (10 ml/kg/day, twice weekly) or (R)-ketamine (10 mg/kg/day, twice weekly) was administered intraperitoneally into OVX or sham mice for the six weeks. The reduction of cortical BMD and total BMD in the OVX mice was significantly ameliorated after subsequent repeated intermittent administration of (R)-ketamine. Furthermore, there were significant changes in the α- and β-diversity between OVX + saline group and OVX + (R)-ketamine group. There were correlations between several OTUs and cortical (or total) BMD. There were also positive correlations between the genera Turicibacter and cortical (or total) BMD. Moreover, there were correlations between several metabolites in blood and cortical (or total) BMD. These data suggest that (R)-ketamine may ameliorate the reduced cortical BMD and total BMD in OVX mice through anti-inflammatory actions via gut microbiota. Therefore, it is likely that (R)-ketamine would be a therapeutic drug for depressed patients with low BMD or patients with osteoporosis.

Research Note: Choice of microbiota database affects data analysis and interpretation in chicken cecal microbiota*

The chicken microbiota is often analyzed to address questions about the effects of diet or disease on poultry health. To analyze the microbiota, bioinformatic platforms such as QIIME 2 and mothur are used, which incorporate public taxonomic databases such as Greengenes, the ribosomal database project (RDP), and SILVA to assign taxonomies to bacterial sequences. Many chicken microbiota studies continue to incorporate the Greengenes database, which has not been updated since 2013. To determine whether a choice of database could affect results, this study compared the results of bioinformatic analyses obtained using the Greengenes, RDP, and SILVA databases on a cecal luminal microbiome dataset. The QIIME 2 platform was used to process 16S bacterial sequences and assign taxonomies with Greengenes, RDP, and SILVA. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was performed, allowing for the comparison of taxonomies considered significantly differentially abundant between the three databases. Some notable differences between databases were observed in results, in particular the ability of SILVA database to classify members of the family Lachnospiraceae into separate genera, while these members remained in one group of unclassified Lachnospiraceae through Greengenes and RDP. LEfSe analyses showed that the SILVA database produced more differentially abundant genera, in large part due to the classification of these separate Lachnospiraceae genera. Additionally, the relative abundance of unclassified Lachnospiraceae in SILVA results was significantly lower than in RDP results. Our results show the choice of taxonomic database can influence the results of a microbiota study at the genus level, potentially affecting the interpretation of the results. The use of the SILVA database is recommended over Greengenes in chicken microbiota studies, as more specific classifications at the genus level may provide more accurate interpretations of changes in the microbiota.

Effect of l-carnitine and mildronate on the mitochondrial metabolism of heart and bacterial composition of the gut microbiome in ageing mice

Ageing is the most significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. l-Carnitine has a potent cardioprotective effect and its synthesis decreases during ageing. At the same time, there are pharmaceuticals, such as mildronate which, on the contrary, are aimed at reducing the concentration of l-carnitine in the heart and lead to slows down the oxidation of fatty acids in mitochondria. Despite this, both l-carnitine and mildronate are positioned as cardio protectors. We showed that l-carnitine supplementation to the diet of 15-month-old mice increased expression of the PGC-1α gene, which is responsible for the regulation of fatty acid oxidation, and the Nrf2 gene, which is responsible for protecting mitochondria by regulating the expression of antioxidants and mitophagy, in the heart. Mildronate activated the expression of genes that regulate glucose metabolism. Probably, this metabolic shift may protect the mitochondria of the heart from the accumulation of acyl-carnitine, which occurs during the oxidation of fatty acids under oxygen deficiency. Both pharmaceuticals impacted the gut microbiome bacterial composition. l-Carnitine increased the level of Lachnoanaerobaculum and [Eubacterium] hallii group, mildronate increased the level of Bifidobacterium, Rikinella, Christensenellaceae. Considered, that these bacteria for protection the organism from various pathogens and chronic inflammation. Thus, we suggested that the positive effects of both drugs on the mitochondria metabolism and gut microbiome bacterial composition may contribute to the protection of the heart during ageing.

Digestion-Promoting Effects and Mechanisms of Dashanzha Pill Based on Raw and Charred Crataegi Fructus

Emerging evidence suggests that a high-fat diet (HFD) can influence endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and gut microbiota. Crataegi Fructus is a traditional Chinese herb widely used in formulas for dyspepsia, with Dashanzha Pill composed of raw Crataegi Fructus (DR) being a representative drug. Processing products of Crataegi Fructus, however, have a stronger pro-digestive effect, and we hypothesized that Dashanzha Pill composed of charred Crataegi Fructus (DC) is more effective. We found that the contents of glucose 1-phosphate and luteolin in DR and DC were substantially different via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. DC outperformed DR in improving histopathological changes, increasing gastrin and motilin, and decreasing vasoactive intestinal peptides in rats with HFD induced dyspepsia. Fecal microbiota analysis revealed that DC could restore the disturbed intestinal microbiota composition, including that of Bacteroides, Akkermansia, and Intestinimonas to normal levels. Furthermore, DC significantly reduced the mRNA and protein levels of glucose-regulated protein 78, protein kinase R-like ER kinase, and eukaryotic initiation factor 2α. Taken together, DC outperformed DR in relieving dyspepsia by regulating gut microbiota and alleviating ER stress.

The link between broiler flock heterogeneity and cecal microbiome composition

BACKGROUND

Despite low genetic variation of broilers and deployment of considerate management practices, there still exists considerable body weight (BW) heterogeneity within broiler flocks which adversely affects the commercial value. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the cecal microbiome in weight differences between animals. Understanding how the gut microbiome may contribute to flock heterogeneity helps to pave the road for identifying methods to improve flock uniformity and performance.

RESULTS

Two hundred eighteen male broiler chicks were housed in the same pen, reared for 37 days, and at study end the 25 birds with highest BW (Big) and the 25 birds with lowest BW (Small) were selected for microbiome analysis. Cecal contents were analyzed by a hybrid metagenomic sequencing approach combining long and short read sequencing. We found that Big birds displayed higher microbial alpha diversity, higher microbiome uniformity (i.e. lower beta diversity within the group of Big birds), higher levels of SCFA-producing and health-associated bacterial taxa such as Lachnospiraceae, Faecalibacterium, Butyricicoccus and Christensenellales, and lower levels of Akkermansia muciniphila and Escherichia coli as compared to Small birds.

CONCLUSION

Cecal microbiome characteristics could be linked to the size of broiler chickens. Differences in alpha diversity, beta diversity and taxa abundances all seem to be directly associated with growth differences observed in an otherwise similar broiler flock.

Urinary Metabolomic Profiling after Administration of Corydalis Tuber and Pharbitis Seed Extract in Healthy Korean Volunteers

Pharmacometabolomics is a useful tool to identify biomarkers that can assess and predict response after drug administration. The primary purpose of pharmacometabolomics is to better understand the mechanisms and pathways of a drug by searching endogenous metabolites that have significantly changed after drug administration. DA-9701, a prokinetic agent, consists of Pharbitis seed and Corydalis tube extract and it is known to improve the gastrointestinal motility. Although the overall mechanism of action of DA-9701 remains unclear, its active ingredients, corydaline and chlorogenic acid, act as a 5-HT3 and D2 receptor antagonist and 5-HT4 receptor agonist. To determine the significant metabolites after the administration of DA-9701, a qualitative analysis was carried out using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with orbitrap mass spectrometer followed by a multivariate analysis. Seven candidates were selected and a statistical analysis of fold change was performed over time. Our study concluded that all the seven selected metabolites were commonly involved in lipid metabolism and purine metabolism.

Nonlinear machine learning pattern recognition and bacteria-metabolite multilayer network analysis of perturbed gastric microbiome

The stomach is inhabited by diverse microbial communities, co-existing in a dynamic balance. Long-term use of drugs such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), or bacterial infection such as Helicobacter pylori, cause significant microbial alterations. Yet, studies revealing how the commensal bacteria re-organize, due to these perturbations of the gastric environment, are in early phase and rely principally on linear techniques for multivariate analysis. Here we disclose the importance of complementing linear dimensionality reduction techniques with nonlinear ones to unveil hidden patterns that remain unseen by linear embedding. Then, we prove the advantages to complete multivariate pattern analysis with differential network analysis, to reveal mechanisms of bacterial network re-organizations which emerge from perturbations induced by a medical treatment (PPIs) or an infectious state (H. pylori). Finally, we show how to build bacteria-metabolite multilayer networks that can deepen our understanding of the metabolite pathways significantly associated to the perturbed microbial communities.

LC-MS-based plasma metabolomics study of the intervention effect of different polar parts of hawthorn on gastrointestinal motility disorder rats

Dyspepsia, one of the most prevalent diseases of the digestive tract that impacts the quality of patient life, is mainly caused by gastrointestinal motility disorder. Hawthorn is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for treating dyspepsia, and has been proven to improve gastrointestinal motility. Herein, a rat model of gastrointestinal motility disorder was established by subcutaneous injection with atropine. The modeled rats were treated with four polar parts (T1-4 in descending polarity, corresponding to water, n-butanol, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether extracts, respectively) of hawthorn. Through metabolomics analysis, a total of 20 significantly metabolites were identified with significant changes in their abundance levels and these metabolites were related to many metabolic pathways such as amino acid metabolism and primary bile acid biosynthesis. The results showed that T3 had the best therapeutic effect of promoting gastrointestinal motility. Other parts showed no obvious therapeutic effect, demonstrating that the effective components of hawthorn may be compounds of medium polarity. T3 might achieve good therapeutic effects owing to the gastrointestinal motility promotion activity, and by rectifying the disturbed metabolic pathways in the gastrointestinal motility disorder model.

Understanding the mechanisms of efficacy of fecal microbiota transplant in treating recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection and beyond: the contribution of gut microbial-derived metabolites

Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) is a highly-effective therapy for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI), and shows promise for certain non-CDI indications. However, at present, its mechanisms of efficacy have remained poorly understood. Recent studies by our laboratory have noted the particular key importance of restoration of gut microbe-metabolite interactions in the ability of FMT to treat rCDI, including the impact of FMT upon short chain fatty acid (SCFAs) and bile acid metabolism. This includes a significant impact of these metabolites upon the life cycle of C. difficile directly, along with potential postulated additional benefits, including effects upon host immune response. In this Addendum, we first present an overview of these recent advancements in this field, and then describe additional novel data from our laboratory on the impact of FMT for rCDI upon several gut microbial-derived metabolites which had not previously been implicated as being of relevance.

Impact of industrial production system parameters on chicken microbiomes: mechanisms to improve performance and reduce Campylobacter

BACKGROUND

The factors affecting host-pathogen ecology in terms of the microbiome remain poorly studied. Chickens are a key source of protein with gut health heavily dependent on the complex microbiome which has key roles in nutrient assimilation and vitamin and amino acid biosynthesis. The chicken gut microbiome may be influenced by extrinsic production system parameters such as Placement Birds/m2 (stocking density), feed type and additives. Such parameters, in addition to on-farm biosecurity may influence performance and also pathogenic bacterial numbers such as Campylobacter. In this study, three different production systems 'Normal' (N), 'Higher Welfare' (HW) and 'Omega-3 Higher Welfare' (O) were investigated in an industrial farm environment at day 7 and day 30 with a range of extrinsic parameters correlating performance with microbial dynamics and Campylobacter presence.

RESULTS

Our data identified production system N as significantly dissimilar from production systems HW and O when comparing the prevalence of genera. An increase in Placement Birds/m2 density led to a decrease in environmental pressure influencing the microbial community structure. Prevalence of genera, such as Eisenbergiella within HW and O, and likewise Alistipes within N were representative. These genera have roles directly relating to energy metabolism, amino acid, nucleotide and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) utilisation. Thus, an association exists between consistent and differentiating parameters of the production systems that affect feed utilisation, leading to competitive exclusion of genera based on competition for nutrients and other factors. Campylobacter was identified within specific production system and presence was linked with the increased diversity and increased environmental pressure on microbial community structure. Addition of Omega-3 though did alter prevalence of specific genera, in our analysis did not differentiate itself from HW production system. However, Omega-3 was linked with a positive impact on weight gain.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our results show that microbial communities in different industrial production systems are deterministic in elucidating the underlying biological confounders, and these recommendations are transferable to farm practices and diet manipulation leading to improved performance and better intervention strategies against Campylobacter within the food chain. Video Abstract.

Shenling Baizhu San improves functional dyspepsia in rats as revealed by 1H-NMR based metabolomics

Functional dyspepsia (FD), a common gastrointestinal disorder around the world, is driven by multiple factors, making prevention and treatment a major challenge. Shenling Baizhu San (SBS), a classical prescription of traditional Chinese medicine, has been proven to be effective in gastrointestinal disorders. However, studies on SBS improving FD are few. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the effect of SBS on FD and further to explore the mechanism underlying the interactions between FD and SBS by the metabolomics approach. A FD rat model was induced by multiple forms of mild stimulation, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis were used to profile the fecal and urinary metabolome in the FD rats during SBS intervention. Significant dyspeptic symptoms such as weight loss, poor appetite, reduced gastrointestinal motility and decreased absorptive capacity were observed in the FD rats, which were subsequently improved by SBS. Additionally, the levels of citrate, branched chain acids and pyruvate decreased, and the levels of choline, trimethylamine and taurine increased in the FD rats. Furthermore, the metabolic disorders were amended with SBS intervention mainly by modulating the metabolic pathways involved in energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and gut microbiota and host co-metabolism. Overall, our study highlighted the effect of SBS on the disturbed metabolic pathways in the FD rats, providing new insight into the mechanism of SBS treatment for FD from the perspective of metabolomics.

Evaluation of effects of sleep disorders on anxiety, depression, and lower gastrointestinal symptoms in elderly patients with functional dyspepsia based on brain-intestinal axis theory

BACKGROUND

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disease in elderly patients, which is prone to relapse and seriously affects the physical and mental health of patients. Brain-intestinal interaction disorder is the main cause of FD, and most of FD patients are accompanied by different degrees of sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and other negative psychology. At present, there are few studies on sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and lower gastrointestinal symptoms in elderly FD patients.

AIM

To investigate the effects of sleep disorders on anxiety, depression, and lower gastrointestinal symptoms in elderly patients with FD based on the brain-intestinal axis theory.

METHODS

A total of 236 elderly patients with FD diagnosed based on the Roman Ⅳ criteria at our hospital from February 2017 to September 2019 were included in this study. Different scales were used to evaluate digestive tract symptom severity, sleep quality, and anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Among 214 elderly FD patients, 103 (48.13%) had sleep disorders and 182 (85.05%) had anxiety and depression. In elderly FD patients with sleep disorders, the incidences of lower abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, sheep dung-like or hard feces, difficulty in defecation, feeling of incomplete defecation, and urgent need for defecation were 35.92%, 33.98%, 21.36%, 32.04%, 43.69%, and 27.18%, respectively, all of which were significantly higher those of elderly FD patients with no sleep disorder (P < 0.05). The self-rating anxiety scale score of elderly FD patients with sleep disorders was 65.34 ± 7.29 and the self-rating depression scale score was 66.17 ± 8.26, both of which were significantly higher than those of elderly FD patients without sleep disorders (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression are often present in elderly FD patients, and sleep disorders are closely related to lower gastrointestinal symptoms in elderly FD patients.

Therapeutic effect of n-butanol fraction of Huang-lian-Jie-du Decoction on ulcerative colitis and its regulation on intestinal flora in colitis mice

Huang-lian-Jie-du Decoction (HLJDD) is a classical prescription for clearing away heat and detoxification. In order to screen the effective fraction of HLJDD in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice and explore its effects on intestinal flora in UC mice, we prepared different polar fractions of HLJDD by system solvent extraction method. Subsequently, the contents of 13 active compounds in different polar fractions of HLJDD were determined by HPLC. Further, the UC model induced by dextran sodium sulfate was used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of different polar fractions of HLJDD. Finally, cecal contents were used for sequencing and analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. The results showed that the yield of HLJDD-n-butanol (HLJDD-NBA) fraction was the highest, and the content or proportion of 13 active compounds in HLJDD-NBA fraction were the most similar to HLJDD. In addition, in vivo pharmacodynamic experiments showed that HLJDD-NBA intervention not only significantly alleviated the clinical symptoms of UC mice and ameliorated the pathological damage of colon tissue, but also showed significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects (p < 0.05), which were comparable to HLJDD (p > 0.05). Moreover, both HLDD and HLJDD-NBA treatments can restore the intestinal flora homeostasis of UC mice by inhibiting the growth of intestinal pathogens and preventing the decrease of beneficial bacteria. Meanwhile, they can also significantly correct the dysfunction of intestinal flora in UC mice. In conclusion, we proved that HLJDD-NBA fraction is an effective fraction of HLJDD in treating UC in mice, and it can maintain the intestinal flora homeostasis of UC mice, which increases our understanding of the mechanism of HLJDD in treating UC and lays a foundation for the development of new anti-ulcer drugs.

Fructus Gardeniae-induced gastrointestinal injury was associated with the inflammatory response mediated by the disturbance of vitamin B6, phenylalanine, arachidonic acid, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Fructus Gardenia (FG) is a widely used bitter and cold herb for clearing heat and detoxicating. Currently, toxicity of FG and its relative formula has been reported in many clinical and animal studies. However, no systematic research has been carried out on FG-related gastrointestinal (GI) injury which has been emphasized in China since the Ming Dynasty.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this article is to investigate whether FG could damage GI and explore the mechanisms involved.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

FG was given to male mice by 7-day intragastric administration at average doses of 0.90 g (L group), 1.50 g (M group), and 3.00 g (H group) crude drug/kg FG. Comprehensive understanding of changes in weight, diarrhea degree, stool routine, histomorphology and inflammatory factors of stomach, small intestine, and colon for evaluating the effect of different doses of FG on GI injury. Moreover, metabolomics-based mechanisms exploration of FG on GI injury was carried out via HPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis on mice urine.

RESULTS

High dose FG caused GI injury with serious diarrhea, decreased weight, abnormal stool routine, sever alteration in histomorphology of small intestine and colon (mild change in stomach), and significant change in inflammatory factors. The results of metabolomics suggested that 55 endogenous metabolites dispersed in 21 significantly altered metabolic pathways in 3.00 g/kg crude FG treated mice. The hub metabolites of GI injury were mainly related with vitamin B6 metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism via correlated network analysis.

CONCLUSION

FG affected the normal functions of GI via the regulating a variety of metabolic pathways to an abnormal state, and our results provided a research paradigm for the GI-injury of the relative bitter and cold traditional Chinese medicines.

Effects of dietary intake of potatoes on body weight gain, satiety-related hormones, and gut microbiota in healthy rats

Potatoes, as a prominent staple food, have exerted diverse intestinal health benefits, but few studies have addressed the gut microecology modulatory effects of consuming potatoes in realistic quantities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ingesting potatoes in different doses on body weight gain (BWG), food intake, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), fecal microbiota, gut hormones, and colon morphology of healthy rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats of 6–8 weeks old were randomized to five groups and fed AIN-93 G or diets containing graded concentrations of potato powder (low, medium, high, and higher) for 7 weeks. Accordingly, the final body weight was significantly lower for rats fed the high and/or higher potato diets than their control counterparts (P < 0.05). Potato intervention caused a significant dose-dependent increment in full cecum, and SCFAs production. The relative abundance of “S24-7” (order Bacteroidales), Bifidobacterium, “NK3B31” (family Prevotellaceae), Parasutterella, and Ruminococcus_1 increased in high and higher potato diets. Furthermore, a Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that Parasutterella was negatively correlated with BWG, triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The maximum number of goblet cells, longest crypt depth, and highest level of PYY were found in the distal colon of rats fed higher potato diets. The results suggested that potato powder could provide the potential for hopeful impact on weight control.

Supplementation of potato powders with 54.88 g kg⁻¹ would significantly reduce the body weight gain by enriching Bifidobacterium and Parasutterella.

A holistic view of gallic acid-induced attenuation in colitis based on microbiome-metabolomics analysis

GA enema can treat UC by influencing microbiota-mediated metabolism.