Buyang Huanwu decoction affects gut microbiota and lipid metabolism in a ZDF rat model of co-morbid type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity: An integrated metabolomics analysis

Anti-Obesity Activity of Sanghuangporus vaninii by Inhibiting Inflammation in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

Obesity is an unhealthy condition associated with various diseases characterized by excess fat accumulation. However, in China, the prevalence of obesity is 14.1%, and it remains challenging to achieve weight loss or resolve this issue through clinical interventions. Sanghuangpours vaninii (SPV) is a nutritional fungus with multiple pharmacological activities and serves as an ideal dietary intervention for combating obesity. In this study, a long-term high-fat diet (HFD) was administered to induce obesity in mice. Different doses of SPV and the positive drug simvastatin (SV) were administered to mice to explore their potential anti-obesity effects. SPV regulated weight, serum lipids, and adipocyte size while inhibiting inflammation and hepatic steatosis. Compared with the vehicle-treated HFD-fed mice, the lowest decreases in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were 9.72%, 9.29%, and 12.29%, respectively, and the lowest increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was 5.88% after treatment with different doses of SPV. With SPV treatment, the analysis of gut microbiota and serum lipids revealed a significant association between lipids and inflammation-related factors, specifically sphingomyelin. Moreover, Western blotting results showed that SPV regulated the toll-like receptor (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway in HFD-diet mice, which is related to inflammation and lipid metabolism. This research presents empirical proof of the impact of SPV therapy on obesity conditions.

Deciphering the molecular mechanism of Bu Yang Huan Wu Decoction in interference with diabetic pulmonary fibrosis via regulating oxidative stress and lipid metabolism disorder

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus type 2 and pulmonary fibrosis have been found to be closely related in clinical practice. Diabetic pulmonary fibrosis (DPF) is a complication of diabetes mellitus, but its treatment has yet to be thoroughly investigated. Bu Yang Huan Wu Decoction (BYHWD) is a well-known traditional Chinese prescription that has shown great efficacy in treating pulmonary fibrosis with hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects.

METHODS

The active ingredients of BYHWD and the corresponding targets were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systematic Pharmacology Database (TCMSP) and SymMap2. Disease-related targets were obtained from the GeneCard, OMIM and CTD databases. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment were carried out using the DAVID database. AutoDock Vina software was employed to perform molecular docking. Molecular dynamics simulations of proteinligand complexes were conducted by Gromacs. Animal experiments were further performed to validate the effects of BYHWD on the selected core targets, markers of oxidative stress, serum lipids, blood glucose and pulmonary fibrosis.

RESULTS

A total of 84 active ingredients and 830 target genes were screened in BYHWD, among which 56 target genes intersected with DPF-related targets. Network pharmacological analysis revealed that the active ingredients can regulate target genes such as IL-6, TNF-α, VEGFA and CASP3, mainly through AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations suggested that IL6-astragaloside IV, IL6-baicalein, TNFα-astragaloside IV, and TNFα-baicalein docking complexes could bind stably. Animal experiments showed that BYHWD could reduce the expression of core targets such as VEGFA, CASP3, IL-6 and TNF-α. In addition, BYHWD could reduce blood glucose, lipid, and MDA levels in DPF while increasing the activities of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px. BYHWD attenuated the expression of HYP and collagen I, mitigating pathological damage and collagen deposition within lung tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

BYHWD modulates lipid metabolism disorders and oxidative stress by targeting the core targets of IL6, TNF-α, VEGFA and CASP3 through the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, making it a potential therapy for DPF.

Buyang Huanwu Decoction promotes neurovascular remodeling by modulating astrocyte and microglia polarization in ischemic stroke rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD), one of the most commonly utilized traditional Chinese medicine prescription for treatment of cerebral ischemic stroke. However, the understanding of BYHWD on neurovascular repair following cerebral ischemia is so far limited.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This research investigated the influence of BYHWD on neurovascular remodeling by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology and revealed the potential neurovascular repair mechanism underlying post-treatment with BYHWD after ischemic stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were utilized as an ischemic stroke model by permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). BYHWD was intragastrically administrated once daily for 30 days straight. Multimodal MRI was performed to detect brain tissue injuries, axonal microstructural damages, cerebral blood flow and intracranial vessels on the 30th day after BYHWD treatment. Proangiogenic factors, axonal/synaptic plasticity-related factors, energy transporters and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signal pathway were evaluated using western blot. Double immunofluorescent staining and western blot were applied to evaluate astrocytes and microglia polarization.

RESULTS

Administration of BYHWD significantly alleviated infarct volume and brain tissue injuries and ameliorated microstructural damages, accompanied with improved axonal/synaptic plasticity-related factors, axonal growth guidance factors and decreased axonal growth inhibitors. Meanwhile, BYHWD remarkably improved cerebral blood flow, cerebral vascular signal and promoted the expression of proangiogenic factors. Particularly, treatment with BYHWD obviously suppressed astrocytes A1 and microglia M1 polarization accompanied with promoted astrocyte A2 and microglia M2 polarization. Furthermore, BYHWD effectively improved energy transporters. Especially, BYHWD markedly increased expression of phosphorylated AMPK, cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) accompanied by inactivation of the NF-κB.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, these findings identified that the beneficial roles of BYHWD on neurovascular remodeling were related to AMPK pathways -mediated energy transporters and NFκB/CREB pathways.

Intestinal mucosal barrier: a potential target for traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a serious public health problem, and among non-communicable diseases, CVD is now the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. CVD involves multiple organs throughout the body, especially the intestinal tract is the first to be involved. The impairment of the intestinal mucosal barrier is considered a significant pathological alteration in CVD and also contributes to the accelerated progression of the disease, thereby offering novel insights for CVD prevention and treatment. The treatment of Chinese medicine is characterized by multi-metabolites, multi-pathways, and multi-targets. In recent years, the studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in treating CVD by repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier have gradually increased, showing great therapeutic potential. This review summarizes the studies related to the treatment of CVD by TCM (metabolites of Chinese botanical drugs, TCM formulas, and Chinese patent medicine) targeting the repair of the intestinal mucosal barrier, as well as the potential mechanisms. We have observed that TCM exerts regulatory effects on the structure and metabolites of gut microbiota, enhances intestinal tight junctions, improves intestinal dyskinesia, repairs intestinal tissue morphology, and preserves the integrity of the intestinal vascular barrier through its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties. These multifaceted attributes position TCM as a pivotal modulator of inhibiting myocardial fibrosis, and hypertrophy, and promoting vascular repairment. Moreover, there exists a close association between cardiovascular risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes mellitus with CVD. We also explore the mechanisms through which Chinese botanical drugs impact the intestinal mucosal barrier and regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Consequently, these findings present novel insights and methodologies for treating CVD.

Astragalus membranaceus and Salvia miltiorrhiza ameliorate diabetic kidney disease via the "gut-kidney axis"

BACKGROUND

The combination of Astragalus membranaceus and Salvia miltiorrhiza (AS) is an effective prescription for treating diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in traditional Chinese medicine. Its efficacy in treating DKD has been confirmed, but the potential regulatory mechanism has not yet been fully clarified.

PURPOSE

To explore the mechanism by which AS regulates the "gut-metabolism-transcription" coexpression network under the action of the "gut-kidney axis" to ameliorate DKD.

METHODS

SD rats were used to establish the DKD model by injecting STZ. After AS intervention, the structure and function of the kidney and colon were observed. We sequenced the gut microbiota utilizing 16S rDNA, identified serum differential metabolites using LC‒MS/MS, and observed renal mRNA expression by RNA seq. The "gut-metabolism-transcription" coexpression network was further constructed, and the target bacteria, target metabolites, and target genes of AS were ultimately screened and validated.

RESULTS

AS improved renal pathology and functional damage and increased the abundance of Akkermansia, Akkermansia_muciniphila, Lactobacillus and Lactobacillus_murinus. Fourteen target metabolites of AS were identified, which were mainly concentrated in 19 KEGG pathways, including sphingolipid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Sixty-three target mRNAs of AS were identified. The top 20 pathways were closely related to glycolipid metabolism, and 14 differential mRNAs were expressed in these pathways. Correlation analysis showed that Akkermansia, Akkermansia muciniphila, Lactobacillus and Lactobacillus murinus were closely associated with sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism and galactose metabolism. Moreover, the target metabolites and target mRNAs of AS were also enriched in five identical pathways of sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism and galactose metabolism, including 8 different metabolites, such as sphingosine, and 5 different genes, such as Kng1. The 8 metabolites had high AUC prediction values, and the validation of the 5 genes was consistent with the sequencing results.

CONCLUSION

Our research showed that AS can improve DKD via the "gut-kidney axis". Akkermansia muciniphila and Lactobacillus murinus were the main driving bacteria, and five pathways related to glycolipid metabolism, especially sphingolipid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism, may be important follow-up reactions and regulatory mechanisms.

Causal Associations between Gut Microbiota and Different Types of Dyslipidemia: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study

The determination of a causal association between gut microbiota and a range of dyslipidemia remains uncertain. To clarify these associations, we employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis utilizing the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method. This comprehensive analysis investigated the genetic variants that exhibited a significant association (p < 5 × 10-8) with 129 distinct gut microbiota genera and their potential link to different types of dyslipidemia. The results indicated a potential causal association between 22 gut microbiota genera and dyslipidemia in humans. Furthermore, these findings suggested that the impact of gut microbiota on dyslipidemia regulation is dependent on the specific phylum, family, and genus. Bacillota phylum demonstrated the greatest diversity, with 15 distinct genera distributed among eight families. Notably, gut microbiota-derived from the Lachnospiraceae and Lactobacillaceae families exhibit statistically significant associations with lipid levels that contribute to overall health (p < 0.05). The sensitivity analysis indicated that our findings possess robustness (p > 0.05). The findings of our investigation provide compelling evidence that substantiates a causal association between the gut microbiota and dyslipidemia in the human body. It is noteworthy to highlight the significant influence of the Bacillota phylum as a crucial regulator of lipid levels, and the families Lachnospiraceae and Lactobacillaceae should be recognized as probiotics that significantly contribute to this metabolic process.

Effects of prebiotics on the gut microbiota in vitro associated with functional diarrhea in children

Purpose

Diarrhea is among the top five causes of morbidity and mortality in children. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is considered the most important risk factor for diarrhea. Prebiotics have shown efficacy in treating diarrhea by regulating the balance of the gut microbiota in vivo.

Methods

In this study, we used an in vitro fermentation system to prevent the interference of host-gut microbe interactions during in vivo examination and investigated the effect of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) on gut microbiota composition and metabolism in 39 pediatric patients with functional diarrhea.

Results

16S rRNA sequencing revealed that FOS significantly improved α- and β-diversity in volunteers with pediatric diarrhea (p < 0.05). This improvement manifested as a significant increase (LDA > 2, p < 0.05) in probiotic bacteria (e.g., Bifidobacterium) and a significant inhibition (LDA > 2, p < 0.05) of harmful bacteria (e.g., Escherichia-Shigella). Notably, the analysis of bacterial metabolites after FOS treatment showed that the decrease in isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, NH3, and H2S levels was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Lachnoclostridium. This decrease also showed the greatest negative correlation with the abundance of Streptococcus. Random forest analysis and ROC curve validation demonstrated that gut microbiota composition and metabolites were distinct between the FOS treatment and control groups (area under the curve [AUC] > 0.8). Functional prediction using PICRUSt 2 revealed that the FOS-induced alteration of gut microbiota was most likely mediated by effects on starch and sucrose metabolism.

Conclusion

This study is the first to evince that FOS can modulate gut microbial disorders in children with functional diarrhea. Our findings provide a framework for the application of FOS to alleviate functional diarrhea in children and reduce the use of antibiotics for managing functional diarrhea-induced disturbances in the gut microbiota.

Gut Microbiota and Aging: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Medicine

The changing composition of gut microbiota, much like aging, accompanies people throughout their lives, and the inextricable relationship between both has recently attracted extensive attention as well. Modern medical research has revealed that a series of changes in gut microbiota are involved in the aging process of organisms, which may be because gut microbiota modulates aging-related changes related to innate immunity and cognitive function. At present, there is no definite and effective method to delay aging. However, Nobel laureate Tu Youyou's research on artemisinin has inspired researchers to study the importance of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM, as an ancient alternative medicine, has unique advantages in preventive health care and in treating diseases as it already has formed an independent understanding of the aging system. TCM practitioners believe that the mechanism of aging is mainly deficiency, and pathological states such as blood stasis, qi stagnation and phlegm coagulation can exacerbate the process of aging, which involves a series of organs, including the brain, kidney, heart, liver and spleen. Our current understanding of aging has led us to realise that TCM can indeed make some beneficial changes, such as the improvement of cognitive impairment. However, due to the multi-component and multi-target nature of TCM, the exploration of its mechanism of action has become extremely complex. While analysing the relationship between gut microbiota and aging, this review explores the similarities and differences in treatment methods and mechanisms between TCM and Modern Medicine, in order to explore a new approach that combines TCM and Modern Medicine to regulate gut microbiota, improve immunity and delay aging.

Role of herbal medicine and gut microbiota in the prevention and treatment of obesity

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Obesity is a common metabolic dysfunction disease, which is highly correlated with the homeostasis of gut microbiota (GM). The dysregulation of GM on energy metabolism, immune response, insulin resistance and endogenous metabolites (e.g., short chain fatty acids and secondary bile acids) can affect the occurrence and development of obesity. Herbal medicine (HM) has particular advantages and definite therapeutic effects in the prevention and treatment of obesity, but its underlying mechanism is not fully clear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In this review, the representative basic and clinical anti-obesity studies associated with the homeostasis of GM regulated by HM including active components, single herb and herbal formulae were summarized and discussed. We aim to provide a state of art reference for the mechanism research of HM in treating obesity and the further development of new anti-obesity drugs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The relevant information was collected by searching keywords (obesity, herbal medicine, prescriptions, mechanism, GM, short chain fatty acids, etc.) from scientific databases (CNKI, PubMed, SpringerLink, Web of Science, SciFinder, etc.).

RESULTS

GM dysbiosis did occur in obese patients and mice, whiles the intervention of GM could ameliorate the condition of obesity. HM (e.g., berberine, Ephedra sinica, Rehjnannia glutinosa, and Buzhong Yiqi prescription) has been proved to possess a certain regulation on GM and an explicit effect on obesity, but the exact mechanism of HM in improving obesity by regulating GM remains superficial.

CONCLUSION

GM is involved in HM against obesity, and GM can be a novel therapeutic target for treating obesity.

Analysis of the mechanism of action of quercetin in the treatment of hyperlipidemia based on metabolomics and intestinal flora

Hyperlipidemia (HLP) is one of the main factors leading to cardiovascular diseases. Quercetin (QUE) is a naturally occurring polyhydroxy flavonoid compound that has a wide range of pharmacological effects. However, the potential mechanism for treating HLP remains unclear. Thus, the study aimed to investigate the role of QUE in HLP development and its underlying mechanisms in HLP rats based on the analysis of gut microbiota and plasma metabolomics. Following the establishment of an HLP model in rats, QUE was orally administered. Plasma samples and fecal samples were collected from HLP rats for microbiome 16S rDNA sequencing and metabolic UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS analysis. The results suggested that QUE could regulate dyslipidemia and inhibit the levels of TC, TG, and LDL-c. Additionally, histopathological findings revealed that QUE could reduce lipid deposition, ameliorate hepatic injury and steatosis in HFD-induced rats, and have a protective effect on the liver. The analysis and identification of plasma metabolomics showed that the intervention effect of QUE on HLP rats was related to 60 differential metabolites and signal pathways such as lactosamine, 11b-hydroxyprogesterone, arachidonic acid, glycerophospholipid, sphingolipid, glycerolipid, and linoleic acid metabolism. Combined with fecal microbiological analysis, it was found that QUE could significantly change the composition of intestinal flora in HLP rats, increase beneficial bacteria, and reduce the composition of harmful bacteria, attenuating the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. The results of correlation analysis showed that the relative abundance level of Firmicutes, Deironobacterium, Fusobacterium, Bacteroides, and Escherichia coli was closely related to the change of differential metabolites. In summary, combined with metabolomics and gut microbiota studies, it is found that QUE can reduce lipid levels and improve liver function. The potential mechanism may be the regulation of metabolism and intestinal flora that play a role in reducing lipid levels, to achieve the purpose of treatment of HLP.

Pharmacomicrobiomics and type 2 diabetes mellitus: A novel perspective towards possible treatment

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a major driver of mortality worldwide, is more likely to develop other cardiometabolic risk factors, ultimately leading to diabetes-related mortality. Although a set of measures including lifestyle intervention and antidiabetic drugs have been proposed to manage T2DM, problems associated with potential side-effects and drug resistance are still unresolved. Pharmacomicrobiomics is an emerging field that investigates the interactions between the gut microbiome and drug response variability or drug toxicity. In recent years, increasing evidence supports that the gut microbiome, as the second genome, can serve as an attractive target for improving drug efficacy and safety by manipulating its composition. In this review, we outline the different composition of gut microbiome in T2DM and highlight how these microbiomes actually play a vital role in its development. Furthermore, we also investigate current state-of-the-art knowledge on pharmacomicrobiomics and microbiome's role in modulating the response to antidiabetic drugs, as well as provide innovative potential personalized treatments, including approaches for predicting response to treatment and for modulating the microbiome to improve drug efficacy or reduce drug toxicity.