Treatment of rotaviral gastroenteritis with Qiwei Baizhu powder

The protective role of prebiotics and probiotics on diarrhea and gut damage in the rotavirus-infected piglets

Rotavirus is one of the pathogenic causes that induce diarrhea in young animals, especially piglets, worldwide. However, nowadays, there is no specific drug available to treat the disease, and the related vaccines have no obvious efficiency in some countries. Via analyzing the pathogenesis of rotavirus, it inducing diarrhea is mainly due to disturb enteric nervous system, destroy gut mucosal integrity, induce intracellular electrolyte imbalance, and impair gut microbiota and immunity. Many studies have already proved that prebiotics and probiotics can mitigate the damage and diarrhea induced by rotavirus infection in hosts. Based on these, the current review summarizes and discusses the effects and mechanisms of prebiotics and probiotics on rotavirus-induced diarrhea in piglets. This information will highlight the basis for the swine production utilization of prebiotics and probiotics in the prevention or treatment of rotavirus infection in the future.

Advances in the development of antivirals for rotavirus infection

Rotavirus (RV) causes 200,000 deaths per year and imposes a serious burden to public health and livestock farming worldwide. Currently, rehydration (oral and intravenous) remains the main strategy for the treatment of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE), and no specific drugs are available. This review discusses the viral replication cycle in detail and outlines possible therapeutic approaches including immunotherapy, probiotic-assisted therapy, anti-enteric secretory drugs, Chinese medicine, and natural compounds. We present the latest advances in the field of rotavirus antivirals and highlights the potential use of Chinese medicine and natural compounds as therapeutic agents. This review provides an important reference for rotavirus prevention and treatment.

Bacterial Characteristics in Intestinal Contents of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea Mice Treated with Qiweibaizhu Powder

Background

Qiweibaizhu powder (QWBZP) is a classical prescription of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat diarrhea in pediatric patients. Its use in health care practices and interventions has shown its effect on antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD). It is known that the occurrence of AAD is related to an imbalance of intestinal micro-ecology. Previous studies found that QWBZP could regulate the amount of some cultured microbes and the activities of lactase and sucrase in AAD mice. In order to investigate the treatment mechanism of QWBZP on AAD, we studied the effect of QWBZP on intestinal bacteria in a community of AAD mice.

Material/Methods

AAD mice were established by administrating the mixture of gentamycin sulfate and cefradine at the dose of 23.33 mL·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹ for 5 days. Then the AAD mice were gavaged with QWBZP decoction for 4 days and gradually recovered to a normal status. On the tenth day, the intestinal contents of mice were collected, and then the DNA was extracted for 16S rRNA sequencing followed by analysis.

Results

The analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing showed the Simpson index was decreased and the Shannon index was increased in AAD mice treated with QWBZP compared to the model group; there was no significant difference between the control group and the treatment group (P>0.05). Principle co-ordinates analysis (PCoA) indicated that there was a shorter distance between the control group and the treatment group than that between the control group and model group. At the phylum level, use of antibiotics decreased the relative abundance of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria, but increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia, and the reverse changes occurred after treated with QWBZP. At the genus level, the abundance of Bacteroides and Ochrobacitrum increased in the model group, while an opposite result was observed in the treatment group. Moreover, the relative abundance of Osillospira decreased in the model group and increased in the treatment group. Genus Dorea, Coprococcus and Blautia in the model group were higher than those in the control group and further increased in the treatment group.

Conclusions

These results indicated that QWBZP improved the diarrhea syndrome with restoring the diversity and adjusting the structures of bacteria in mice intestine, which might reveal the therapeutic mechanism of QWBZP on treating AAD.

Preventive Effects of Pyungwi-san against Dextran Sulfate Sodium- and Clostridium difficile-Induced Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Mice

Several lines of evidence indicate that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with Clostridium difficile (CD) infection as a consequence of gut dysbiosis. Currently available treatments of IBD are either not very effective or have adverse effects. Pyungwi-san (PWS), a traditional Chinese herbal formulation, has long been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders. The present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of PWS against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) + CD-induced IBD in mice. The animals received DSS in drinking water for seven days to produce DSS-induced acute colitis. In the DSS + CD group, the DSS-fed animals were orally administered with CD spores twice during the DSS treatment period. We observed that exposure of DSS + CD-treated animals to PWS significantly decreased the disease activity index; prevented the shortening of colonic length and increases in spleen size and weight; restored colonic histological parameters by significantly increasing mucus thickness, crypt depth, and goblet cell numbers; protected the tight junction proteins; improved the profiles of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines; and normalized the abundance ratio of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes in the gut. Thus, PWS exerted a number of protective effects on DSS + CD-induced colitis, which might be mediated via restoration of a balance in gut microbial communities.

Therapeutics and Immunoprophylaxis Against Noroviruses and Rotaviruses: The Past, Present, and Future

Background:

Noroviruses and rotaviruses are important viral etiologies of severe gastroenteritis. Noroviruses are the primary cause of nonbacterial diarrheal outbreaks in humans, whilst rotaviruses are a major cause of childhood diarrhea. Although both enteric pathogens substantially impact human health and economies, there are no approved drugs against noroviruses and rotaviruses so far. On the other hand, whilst the currently licensed rotavirus vaccines have been successfully implemented in over 100 countries, the most advanced norovirus vaccine has recently completed phase-I and II trials.

Methods:

We performed a structured search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research litera-ture on advances in the fields of norovirus and rotavirus therapeutics and immunoprophylaxis.

Results:

Technological advances coupled with a proper understanding of viral morphology and replication over the past decade has facilitated pioneering research on therapeutics and immunoprophylaxis against noroviruses and rotaviruses, with promising outcomes in human clinical trials of some of the drugs and vaccines. This review focuses on the various developments in the fields of norovirus and rotavirus thera-peutics and immunoprophylaxis, such as potential antiviral drug molecules, passive immunotherapies (oral human immunoglobulins, egg yolk and bovine colostral antibodies, llama-derived nanobodies, and anti-bodies expressed in probiotics, plants, rice grains and insect larvae), immune system modulators, probiot-ics, phytochemicals and other biological substances such as bovine milk proteins, therapeutic nanoparti-cles, hydrogels and viscogens, conventional viral vaccines (live and inactivated whole virus vaccines), and genetically engineered viral vaccines (reassortant viral particles, virus-like particles (VLPs) and other sub-unit recombinant vaccines including multi-valent viral vaccines, edible plant vaccines, and encapsulated viral particles).

Conclusions:

This review provides important insights into the various approaches to therapeutics and im-munoprophylaxis against noroviruses and rotaviruses..

Study on chemical fingerprinting of crude and processed Atractylodes macrocephala from different locations in Zhejiang province by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hierarchical cluster analysis

Background:

In China, Atractylodes macrocephala is mainly distributed in Zhejiang province. It is, therefore, desirable to determine a reliable and accurate methodology to differentiate the samples collected from Zhejiang province. Although some studies on the fingerprints of Atractylodes macrocephala using HPLC have been published, none of them compared the processed product of Atractylodes macrocephala from different areas of Zhejiang province.

Materials and Methods:

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled with hierarchical cluster analysis was employed in the fingerprint analysis of Atractylodes macrocephala from Zhejiang province, China. The LC assay was performed on a reversed-phase C₁₈ column with linear gradient elution using water and acetonitrile. The LC data showed considerable variation of chemical constituents among Atractylodes macrocephala populations.

Results:

21 and 22 characteristic peaks in the 14 grants of Atractylodes macrocephala and its processed product were determined in samples from different habitats of Zhejiang province, respectively. Their chromatographic patterns were generally consistent although their contents of chemical compositions were greatly different. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis showed that the samples could be divided into four groups; it was able to select excellent resources from the groups.

Conclusion:

This was the first report of hierarchical cluster analysis of crude and processed Atractylodes macrocephala according to their chemical fingerprints and could be applied to the intrinsic quality control of crude and processed Atractylodes macrocephala. The processing technique of Atractylodes macrocephala through the pilot-scale experiment was first studied and is simple and suitable for prepared yin pian of Atractylodes macrocephala industrial manufacture.

Evaluation of In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activities and Protective Effect of Fermented Preparations of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae on Intestinal Barrier Function against Lipopolysaccharide Insult

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent inducer of systemic inflammatory responses, is known to cause impairment of intestinal barrier function. Here, we evaluated the in vitro protective effect of an unfermented formulation of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (RAM), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine widely used in the treatment of many digestive and gastrointestinal disorders, and two fermented preparations of RAM, designated as FRAM-1 (prepared in Luria-Bertani broth) and FRAM-2 (prepared in glucose), on intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) against LPS insult. In general, fermented formulations, especially FRAM-2, but not unfermented RAM, exerted an appreciable protective effect on IECs against LPS-induced perturbation of membrane resistance and permeability. Both fermented formulations exhibited appreciable anti-inflammatory activities in terms of their ability to inhibit LPS-induced gene expression and induced production of a number of key inflammatory mediators and cytokines in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. However, in most cases, FRAM-2 exhibited stronger anti-inflammatory effects than FRAM-1. Our findings also suggest that suppression of nuclear factor- κ β (NF- κ β ) activity might be one of the possible mechanisms by which the fermented RAM exerts its anti-inflammatory effects. Collectively, our results highlight the benefits of using fermented products of RAM to protect against LPS-induced inflammatory insult and impairment in intestinal barrier function.

Effects of QWBZP on T-cell subsets and their cytokines in intestinal mucosa of HRV infection suckling mice

AIM OF THIS STUDY

Qiwei Baizhu Powder (QWBZP) is a traditional herbal prescription that has been used traditionally for the treatment of infantile diarrhea, including the infantile diarrhea caused by Human Rotavirus (HRV). In this study, we investigated the pharmacological activity of QWBZP extract.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

NIH suckling mice with HRV induced diarrhea were used. Density of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, mRNA expression of IL-2, IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 in intestinal mucosa epithelial cells were assayed.

RESULTS

QWBZP extract promoted the expressions of mRNA of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-gamma in intestinal mucosa epithelial cells. Also, we found that the density of CD8(+) cells in intestinal mucosa epithelial cells was significantly lower in QWBZP group than in Model group, while the density of CD8(+) cells was significantly higher in QWBZP group than in Model group.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that QWBZP extract may exhibit antiviral effects through modulating the densities of T-cell subsets and the expressions of their cytokines in small intestinal mucosa epithelial cells.

Reactive oxygen species mediation of baizhu-induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells

Baizhu (Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz) has traditionally been used as an important ingredient of several Chinese herbal medicines, which have been used for abdominal pain and gastroenterology diseases for thousands of years. Despite its popularity in herbal therapies, little is known about the anticancer effect of Baizhu. In this study, the anticancer potential of Baizhu on human hepatoma and leukemia cell lines was evaluated. Baizhu methanol extract induced apoptosis in human lymphoma Jurkat T cells, leukemia U937, and HL-60 cells. This was confirmed by several methods, including hypodiploid cells detection using flow cytometry, the examination of apoptotic bodies containing cells using confocal laser scanning microscopy, and hypodiploid cell population inhibition using the broad spectrum caspase inhibitor z-VAD. Finally, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and superoxide anion (O(2)(-)), were found to be elevated after treatment of these cells with Baizhu extracts. Antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) pretreatment almost completely inhibited Baizhu-induced apoptosis, suggesting that ROS are the key mediators for Baizhu-induced apoptosis. All these data indicate that Baizhu is a possible anti-tumor agent that induces apoptosis of human leukemia cells through ROS generation.

Acaroid mite, intestinal and urinary acariasis

AIM: To investigate epidemiology and pathogenic mite species of intestinal and urinary acariasis in individuals with different occupations.

METHODS: A total of 1994 individuals were tested in this study. History collection, skin prick test and pathogen identification were conducted. The mites were isolated from stool and urine samples by saturated saline flotation methods and sieving following centrifugation, respectively.

RESULTS: Among the 1994 individuals examined, responses to the skin prick test of “+++”, “++”, “+”, “±” and “-” were observed at frequencies of 3.96% (79), 3.21% (64), 2.31% (46), 1.25% (25) and 89.27% (1780), respectively. A total number of 161 (8.07%) individuals were shown to carry mites, with 92 (4.61%) positive only for stool samples, 37 (1.86%) positive only for urine samples and 32 (1.60%) for both. The positive rate of mites in stool samples was 6.22% (124/1994), being 6.84% (78/1140) for males and 5.39% (46/854) for females. No gender difference was observed in this study (χ² = 1.77, P > 0.05). The mites from stool samples included Acarus siro, TyroPhagus putrescentiae, Dermatophagoides farinae, D. pteronyssinus, Glycyphagus domesticus, G.ornatus, Carpoglyphus lactis and Tarsonemus granaries. The positive rate of mites in urine samples was 3.46% (69/1994). The positive rates for male and female subjects were found to be 3.95% (45/1140) and 2.81% (24/854) respectively, with no gender difference observed (χ² = 1.89, P > 0.05). Mites species in urine samples included Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, T. longior, Aleuroglyphus ovatus, Caloglyphus berlesei, C. mycophagus, Suidasia nesbitti, Lardoglyphus konoi, Glycyphagus domesticus, Carpoglyphus lactis, Lepidoglyphus destructor, Dermatophagoides farinae, D. pteronyssinus, Euroglyphus magnei, Caloglyphus hughesi, Tarsonemus granarus and T. hominis. The species of mites in stool and urine samples were consistent with those separated from working environment. A significant difference was found among the frequencies of mite infection in individuals with different occupations (χ² = 82.55, P < 0.001), with its frequencies in those working in medicinal herb storehouses, those in rice storehouse or mills, miners, railway workers, pupils and teachers being 15.89% (68/428), 12.96% (53/409), 3.28% (18/549), 2.54% (6/236), 5.10% (13/255) and 2.56% (3/117), respectively.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of human intestinal and urinary acariasis was not associated with gender, and these diseases are more frequently found in individuals working in medicinal herb, rice storehouses or mills and other sites with high density of mites. More attention should be paid to the mite prevention and labor protection for these high-risk groups.

Epidemiological survey of Blastocystis hominis in Huainan City, Anhui Province, China

AIM: To provide scientific evidence for prevention and controlling of blastocystosis, the infection of Blastocystis homonis and to study its clinical significance in Huainan City, Anhui Province, China.

METHODS: Blastocystis homonis in fresh stools taken from 100 infants, 100 pupils, 100 middle school students and 403 patients with diarrhea was smeared and detected with method of iodine staining and hematoxylin staining. After preliminary direct microscopy, the shape and size of Blastocystis homonis were observed with high power lens. The cellular immune function of the patients with blastocystosis was detected with biotin-streptavidin (BSA).

RESULTS: The positive rates of Blastocystis homonis in fresh stools taken from the infants, pupils, middle school students and the patients with diarrhea, were 1.0% (1/100), 1.0% (1/100), 0% (0/100) and 5.96% (24/403) respectively. Furthermore, the positive rates of Blastocystis homonis in the stool samples taken from the patients with mild diarrhea, intermediate diarrhea, severe diarrhea and obstinate diarrhea were 6.03% (14/232), 2.25% (2/89), 0% (0/17) and 12.31% (8/65) respectively. The positive rates of Blastocystis homonis in fresh stools of male and female patients with diarrhea were 7.52% (17/226) and 3.95% (7/177) respectively, and those of patients in urban and rural areas were 4.56% (11/241) and 8.02% (13/162) respectively. There was no significant difference between them (P > 0.05). The positive rates of CD₃⁺, CD₄⁺, CD₈⁺ in serum of Blastocystis homonis-positive and-negative individuals were 0.64 ± 0.06, 0.44 ± 0.06, 0.28 ± 0.04 and 0.60 ± 0.05, 0.40 ± 0.05 and 0.30 ± 0.05 respectively, and the ratio of CD₄⁺/CD₈⁺ of the two groups were 1.53 ± 0.34 and 1.27 ± 0.22. There was significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Blastocystis hominis as an enteric pathogen in human seems not to be associated with gender and living environment, and that Blastocystis hominis is more common in stool samples of the patients with diarrhea, especially with chronic diarrhea or obstinate diarrhea. When patients with diarrhea infected by Blastocystis hominis, their cellular immune function decreases, which make it more difficult to be cured.