Research trends in Korean medicine based on temporal and network analysis

Comparative gut microbiome analysis of the Prakriti and Sasang systems reveals functional level similarities in constitutionally similar classes

The traditional medicinal systems (TMS) of India (Prakriti) and Korea (Sasang) classify human individuals based on their constitution determined by the physiological and psychological traits of individuals. Similarities in the constitutions are already found between the classes of Prakriti (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) and Sasang (TE: Taeeumin, SE: Soeumin, and SY: Soyangin) systems. Gut health is an important aspect of this constitution based classification in TMS. To determine the role of gut microbes in such classifications, we have analyzed the gut microbiome (taxa and imputed functions) in the constitutionally similar Prakriti and Sasang classes. An enrichment of Bacteroides and Prevotella enterotypes is observed in the Sasang and Prakriti samples, respectively. The impact of the constitution is found to be more prominent with respect to the taxa and predicted-functions within the Prakriti classes. Gut microbiome functional-level similarities are found to correlate well with the host phenotypes of the constitutionally similar Prakriti and Sasang classes. An enrichment of carbohydrate and amino-acid metabolism is observed in the Vata and SE classes which may be responsible for meeting with their high energy demands and lean phenotype. The Pitta and SY classes exhibit the high capacity to metabolize toxins. An enrichment of functions responsible for predisposition to obesity and high drug metabolism is observed in the Kapha and TE classes. The contribution of gut adaptive functions is found to correlate with the constitution-based classification in both Prakriti and Sasang systems. The TE class harboured the highest number of biofilm-forming and stress-tolerant microbes thus exhibiting the maximum tolerance of environmental stress. Similarities in the gut microbiota and the resulting disease predisposition patterns are found to exist between the constitutionally matching Prakriti and Sasang classes.