Study on Baohe Pills Regulating Intestinal Microecology and Treating Diarrhea of High-Fat and High-Protein Diet Mice

Adenine's impact on mice's gut and kidney varies with the dosage administered and relates to intestinal microorganisms and enzyme activities

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different dosages of adenine on intestinal microorganisms and enzyme activities, laying the experimental groundwork for subsequent exploration of the microbial mechanisms underlying diarrhea with kidney yang deficiency syndrome. Twenty-four mice were assigned to the following four groups: the control (NC) group, low-dosage adenine (NML) group, middle-dosage adenine (NMM) group, and high-dosage adenine (NMH) group. Mice in the NML, NMM, and NMH groups received 25 mg/(kg·d), 50 mg/(kg·d), and 100 mg/(kg·d) of adenine, respectively, 0.4 mL/each, once a day for 14 days. The NC group received 0.4 mL sterile water. Parameters including body weight, rectal temperature, intestinal microorganisms, enzyme activities, and microbial activity were measured. Results indicated that mice in the experimental group displayed signs of a poor mental state, curled up with their backs arched, and felt sleepy and lazy, with sparse fur that was easily shed, and damp bedding. Some mice showed fecal adhesion contamination in the perianal and tail areas. Dosage-dependent effects were observed, with decreased food intake, body weight, rectal temperature, and microbial activity and increased water intake and fecal water content. Enzyme activity analyses revealed significantly higher activities of protease, sucrase, amylase, and cellulase in intestinal contents and lactase, sucrase, amylase, and cellulase in the mucosa of the NMM group compared to those of other groups. Ultimately, the higher adenine dosage was associated with more pronounced symptoms of kidney yang deficiency syndrome, with 50 mg/kg adenine exhibiting the most substantial impact on the number of intestinal microbial colonies and enzyme activities.

Research progress in the treatment of an immune system disease-type 1 diabetes-by regulating the intestinal flora with Chinese medicine and food homologous drugs

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a specific autoimmune disease related to genetic and autoimmune factors. Recent studies have found that the intestinal flora is one of the important environmental factors in the development of T1D. The gut microbiota is the largest microbiota in the human body and has a significant impact on material and energy metabolism. Related studies have found that the intestinal floras of T1D patients are unbalanced. Compared with normal patients, the abundance of beneficial bacteria is reduced, and various pathogenic bacteria are significantly increased, affecting the occurrence and development of diabetes. Medicinal and food homologous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a multicomponent, multitarget, and biphasic regulatory effect. Its chemical composition can increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria, improve the diversity of the intestinal flora, reduce blood sugar, and achieve the purpose of preventing and treating T1D by regulating the intestinal flora and its metabolites. Therefore, based on a review of T1D, intestinal flora, and TCM derived from medicine and food, this review describes the relationship between T1D and the intestinal flora, as well as the research progress of TCM interventions for T1D through regulation of the intestinal flora. Medicine and food homologous TCM has certain advantages in treating diabetes and regulating the intestinal flora. It can be seen that there is still great research space and broad development prospects for the treatment of diabetes by regulating the intestinal flora with drug and food homologous TCM.

Research progress on the relationship between Paneth cells-susceptibility genes, intestinal microecology and inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a disorder of the immune system and intestinal microecosystem caused by environmental factors in genetically susceptible people. Paneth cells (PCs) play a central role in IBD pathogenesis, especially in Crohn's disease development, and their morphology, number and function are regulated by susceptibility genes. In the intestine, PCs participate in the formation of the stem cell microenvironment by secreting antibacterial particles and play a role in helping maintain the intestinal microecology and intestinal mucosal homeostasis. Moreover, PC proliferation and maturation depend on symbiotic flora in the intestine. This paper describes the interactions among susceptibility genes, PCs and intestinal microecology and their effects on IBD occurrence and development.

Brain-bacteria-gut axis and oxidative stress mediated by intestinal mucosal microbiota might be an important mechanism for constipation in mice

Intestinal microbiota disorder was associated with constipation. This study investigated the microbiota-gut-brain axis and oxidative stress mediated by intestinal mucosal microbiota in mice with spleen deficiency constipation. The Kunming mice were randomly divided into the control (MC) group and the constipation (MM) group. The spleen deficiency constipation model was established by gavage with Folium sennae decoction and controlled diet and water intake. The body weight, spleen and thymus index, 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) content were significantly lower in the MM group than the MC group, the content of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were significantly higher than the MC group. The Alpha diversity of intestinal mucosal bacteria was not changed but beta diversity was changed in mice with spleen deficiency constipation. Compared to the MC group, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was an upward trend and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota (F/B) value was a downward trend in the MM group. There was a significant difference in the characteristic microbiota between the two groups. In the MM group, Brevinema, Akkermansia, Parasutterella, Faecalibaculum, Aeromonas, Sphingobium, Actinobacillus, and other pathogenic bacteria were enriched. Meanwhile, there was a certain relationship between the microbiota and gastrointestinal neuropeptide and oxidative stress indicators. The community structure of intestinal mucosal bacteria in mice with spleen deficiency constipation was changed, which was characterized by the reduction of F/B value and enrichment of Proteobacteria. Microbiota-gut-brain axis may be important for spleen deficiency constipation.

Diarrhea accompanies intestinal inflammation and intestinal mucosal microbiota dysbiosis during fatigue combined with a high-fat diet

OBJECTIVE

It was reported fatigue or a high-fat diet triggers diarrhea, and intestinal microbiota may play central roles in diarrhea. Therefore, we investigated the association between the intestinal mucosal microbiota and the intestinal mucosal barrier from fatigue combined with a high-fat diet.

METHOD

This study divided the Specific pathogen-free (SPF) male mice into the normal group (MCN) and the standing united lard group (MSLD). The MSLD group stood on water environment platform box for 4 h/day for 14 days, and 0.4 mL lard was gavaged from day 8, twice daily for 7 days.

RESULT

After 14 days, Mice in the MSLD group showed diarrhea symptoms. The pathological analysis showed structural damage to the small intestine in the MSLD group, with an increasing trend of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-17, and inflammation accompanied by structural damage to the intestine. Fatigue combined with a high-fat diet considerably decreased Limosilactobacillus vaginalis and Limosilactobacillus reuteri, and among them, Limosilactobacillus reuteri positively associated with Muc2 and negatively with IL-6.

CONCLUSION

The interactions between Limosilactobacillus reuteri and intestinal inflammation might be involved in the process of intestinal mucosal barrier impairment in fatigue combined with high-fat diet-induced diarrhea.

Baohe pill decoction treats diarrhea induced by high-fat and high-protein diet by regulating lactase-producing bacteria in intestinal mucosa

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Baohe pill decoction (BPD) on microbial, lactase activity, and lactase-producing bacteria in the intestinal mucosa of mice with diarrhea induced by high-fat and high-protein diet (HFHPD).

Methods

Thirty male Kunming (KM) mice were randomly divided into normal (NM), model (MD), and BPD groups. Diarrhea models were manufactured using HFHPD combined with a gavage of vegetable oil. At the end of modeling, the BPD group was given BPD (6.63 g·kg^-1d^-1) intervention twice daily for 3 d. The NM and MD groups were given equal amounts of sterile water. Subsequently, the intestinal mucosa of the mice was collected, one portion was used for microbial and lactase activity measurement, and the other portion was used for its lactase-producing bacterial characteristics by high-throughput sequencing technology.

Results

Our results showed that microbial and lactase activity of intestinal mucosa decreased significantly following diarrhea in mice (P_microbial < 0.05, P_lactase < 0.001). After BPD intervention, microbial and lactase activity increased significantly (P < 0.01). The number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs), richness, and diversity index of lactase-producing bacteria increased in the BPD group compared to the MD group (P > 0.05), and the community structure were significant differences (P < 0.01). Compared to other groups, Saccharopolyspora, Rhizobium, Cedecea, and Escherichia were enriched in the BPD group. Notably, the relative abundance of the dominant lactase-producing genus Bifidobacterium decreased after BPD intervention.

Discussion

The mechanism of BPD in relieving diarrhea induced by HFHPD is closely related to the promotion of lactase activity in the intestinal mucosa, which may be achieved by regulating the structure of lactase-producing bacteria.

The diarrheal mechanism of mice with a high-fat diet in a fatigued state is associated with intestinal mucosa microbiota

Growing evidence has demonstrated that fatigue and a high-fat diet trigger diarrhea, and intestinal microbiota disorder interact with diarrhea. However, the association of intestinal mucosal microbiota with fatigue and high-fat diet trigger diarrhea remains unclear. The specific pathogen-free Kunming male mice were randomly divided into the normal group (MCN), standing group (MSD), lard group (MLD), and standing united lard group (MSLD). Mice in the MSD and MSLD groups stood on the multiple-platform apparatus for four h/d for fourteen consecutive days. From the eighth day, mice in the MLD and MSLD groups were intragastric lard, 0.4 mL/each, twice a day for seven days. Subsequently, we analyzed the characteristics and interaction relationship of intestinal mucosal microbiota, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-17 (IL-17), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). Results showed that mice in the MSLD group had an increased number of bowel movements. Compared with the MCN group, the contents of IL-17, and IL-6 were higher (p > 0.05), and the content of sIgA was lower in the MSLD group (p > 0.05). MDA and SOD increased in MLD and MSLD groups. Thermoactinomyces and Staphyloccus were the characteristic bacteria of the MSLD group. And Staphyloccus were positively correlated with IL-6, IL-17, and SOD. In conclusion, the interactions between Thermoactinomyces, Staphyloccus and intestinal inflammation, and immunity might be involved in fatigue and high-fat diet-induced diarrhea.

Dose of sucrose affects the efficacy of Qiweibaizhu powder on antibiotic-associated diarrhea: Association with intestinal mucosal microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, IL-17, and MUC2

Introduction

Due to the poor taste of Qiweibaizhu powder (QWBZP), patients have difficulty taking medicine, which leads to poor compliance and limits clinical use to a certain extent. In the trend of restricting sugar intake, sweeteners have gained massive popularity, among which sucrose is a commonly used sweetener in preparations. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different sucrose dose addition with antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) by intervened QWBZP on intestinal mucosal microbiota.

Methods

Thirty specific-pathogen-free (SPF) Kunming (KM) male mice were randomly divided into normal group (N), natural recovery group (M), QWBZP group (Q), low dose sucrose group (LQ), medium dose sucrose group (MQ), and high dose sucrose group (HQ). Subsequently, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and GC-MS techniques were used to analyze the intestinal mucosal microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) in intestinal contents, respectively, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine mucin 2 (MUC2) and interleukin 17 (IL-17).

Results

Compared with the Q group, the results showed that with the increase of sucrose dose, the intestinal microbial structure of mice was significantly altered, and the intestinal microbial diversity was elevated, with the poor restoration of the intestinal biological barrier, decreased content of SCFAs, high expression of inflammatory factor IL-17 and decreased content of mucosal protective factor MUC2. In conclusion, we found that the addition of sucrose had an effect on the efficacy of the AAD intervented by QWBZP, which was less effective than QWBZP, showing a certain dose-response relationship. In this experiment, it was concluded that the addition of sucrose might also further lead to intestinal inflammation and the disruption of the intestinal mucosal barrier, and the production of metabolites SCFAs.

Discussion

The addition of sucrose might also further lead to intestinal inflammation and the disruption of the intestinal mucosal barrier, and the production of metabolites SCFAs. However, these findings still need to be verified in a more extensive study. The effect of adding the sweetener sucrose on the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine in treating diseases also still needs more research.

Construction of microneedle of Atractylodes macrocephala Rhizoma aqueous extract and effect on mammary gland hyperplasia based on intestinal flora

BACKGROUND

A microneedle patch loaded with Atractylodes macrocephala Rhizoma water extract was prepared for the treatment of mammary gland hyperplasia. To explore the relationship between Mammary gland hyperplasia and intestinal flora.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Preparation of the microneedle patch by micromolding method, the prescription of the microneedle was optimized by the Box-Behnken Design response surface test, and the micro-morphology, penetration, toughness, and brittleness were investigated. In vitro release of drug-loaded microneedles was measured by diffusion cell method. The rat model of mammary gland hyperplasia was prepared by the combination of estradiol benzoate-progesterone, and the microneedle patch of Atractylodes macrocephala Rhizoma aqueous extract was used for intervention treatment. The change of levels in E₂, P, and PRL in rat serum was determined. The intestinal contents of rats were collected and the changes in intestinal flora in MGH rats were analyzed by 16s rRNA high-throughput sequencing.

RESULTS

The optimized microneedle formula is a PVA concentration of 6.0%, HA concentration of 15.5%, and PVPK30 concentration of 16.0%. The prepared microneedle tip loaded with Atractylodes macrocephala Rhizoma aqueous extract has complete, sharp, and no bubbles and the needle rate of the microneedle array is in the range of 95%~100%. The bending rate of the microneedle is about 12.7%, and it has good flexibility, and the microneedle can puncture 4 layers of ParafilmⓇ membrane smoothly, and the puncture rate is more than 96%. The in vitro release of the microneedle was characterized by rapid release. The results of animal experiments showed that Atractylodes macrocephala Rhizoma aqueous extract microneedle patch could significantly reduce the E₂ level, significantly reduce the PRL level, and significantly increase the P level. At the same time, it can regulate the abundance and diversity of intestinal flora in MGH rats, improve the intestinal flora disorder caused by mammary gland hyperplasia, and balance the community structure.

CONCLUSION

The prepared microneedle containing Atractylodes macrocephala Rhizoma aqueous extract has good toughness and brittle strength, can penetrate the skin and enter the dermis, and effectively deliver drugs to play a role in the treatment of mammary gland hyperplasia.

An overview of traditional Chinese medicine affecting gut microbiota in obesity

Obesity, a chronic metabolic disease with a complex pathophysiology, is caused by several variables. High-fat diets lead to the disruption of the gut microbiota and impaired gut barrier function in obese people. The dysbiosis and its metabolites through the intestinal barrier lead to an imbalance in energy metabolism and inflammatory response, which eventually contributes to the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Current medicines are therapeutic to obesity in the short term; however, they may bring significant physical and emotional problems to patients as major side effects. Therefore, it is urgent to explore new therapeutic methods that have definite efficacy, can be taken for a long time, and have mild adverse effects. Numerous studies have demonstrated that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can control the gut microbiota in a multi-targeted and comprehensive manner, thereby restoring flora homeostasis, repairing damaged intestinal mucosal barriers, and eventually curbing the development of obesity. The active ingredients and compounds of TCM can restore the normal physiological function of the intestinal mucosal barrier by regulating gut microbiota to regulate energy metabolism, inhibit fat accumulation, affect food appetite, and reduce intestinal mucosal inflammatory response, thereby effectively promoting weight loss and providing new strategies for obesity prevention and treatment. Although there are some studies on the regulation of gut microbiota by TCM to prevent and treat obesity, all of them have the disadvantage of being systematic and comprehensive. Therefore, this work comprehensively describes the molecular mechanism of obesity mediated by gut microbiota based on the research state of obesity, gut microbiota, and TCM. A comprehensive and systematic summary of TCM targeting the regulation of gut microbiota for the treatment of obesity should be conducted in order to provide new strategies and ideas for the treatment of obesity.

Baohe pill decoction for diarrhea induced by high-fat and high-protein diet is associated with the structure of lactase-producing bacterial community

Background

This study investigated the effects of Baohe pill decoction on the diversity and community composition of lactase-producing bacteria in the intestinal contents of mice with diarrhea induced by high-fat and high-protein diet, which provided an experimental basis for the study on the therapeutic mechanism of Baohe pill decoction.

Materials and methods

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP), DisGeNET, UniProt, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and GeneCards databases were used to collect the potential targets with active ingredients of Baohe pill decoction, diarrhea, and lactase, and then construct correlation networks. Fifteen Kunming mice were randomly divided into the control group (CN), natural recovery group (NR), and Baohe pill decoction treatment group (BHP), with five mice in each group. After constructing a mouse diarrhea model by HFHPD induction, BHP was gavaged with Baohe pill decoction, and the other groups were gavaged with distilled water of equal. The intestinal contents were collected from ileal to jejunal and analyzed using metagenomic sequencing to characterize the intestinal content of lactase-producing bacteria in mice.

Results

The core active ingredients related to diarrhea in Baohe pill decoction were quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, forsythin, and wogonin. And there was no intersection between the potential targets with the active ingredient of Baohe pill, lactase, and diarrhea. After the intervention of Baohe pill decoction, the Observed species, Chao1 index, and Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU) number increased in BHP (P > 0.05), while the Pielous evenness and Shannon index decreased (P > 0.05). In Beta diversity, the community structure of the NR was significantly different from CN and BHP (P < 0.05), and the community structure of the CN was not significant difference from BHP (P > 0.05). Compared to NR, the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Amycolatopsis increased, while the relative abundance of Lachnoclostridium, Sinorhizobium, Cedecea, and Escherichia decreased in BHP, but none of the significant differences (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The therapeutic effect of Baohe pill decoction on diarrhea induced by HFHPD does not appear to involve the body’s lactase gene targets directly, but is associated with the change of the construction of lactase-producing bacterial communities.