Efficacy and mechanism study of Baichanting compound, a combination of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. and Maxim.) Harms, Paeonia lactiflora Pall and Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Miq. ex Havil, on Parkinson's disease based on metagenomics and metabolomics

Withaferin A maintained microbiome and metabolome features in A53T transgenic mice via multi-omics integrated analysis

BACKGROUND

Withaferin A (WFA), a naturally occurring compound, has shown promise as a therapeutic agent for Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder associated with motor and gastrointestinal dysfunctions. However, its effects on gut microbiota metabolism remain poorly understood.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to elucidate the neuroprotective mechanisms of WFA in a PD mouse model by investigating its regulation of gut microbiota composition, metabolic pathways, and correlations with brain spatial metabolomics.

METHODS

Human SNCA-transgenic (A53T) mice were treated with WFA and evaluated using behavioral tests, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and ELISA to assess motor/cognitive functions and PD-related pathology. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing, while untargeted fecal metabolomics and brain spatial metabolomics were employed to identify metabolic alterations.

RESULTS

WFA significantly improved motor performance, alleviated cognitive deficits, restored intestinal barrier integrity, and reduced neuroinflammation. It elevated the abundance of anti-inflammatory gut bacteria (e.g., Bifidobacterium, Dubosiella, Akkermansia) and reversed 55 fecal metabolites linked to sphingolipid metabolism, serotonergic synapses, and neuroactive ligand- receptor interactions. Spatial metabolomics revealed WFA's regulation of sphingolipid signaling pathways, including sphingosine kinase (Sphk1), ceramidase, sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor (S1PR5), and endocannabinoid receptor CB2 expression. Correlation analysis indicated a link between brain metabolite content and gut microbiota abundance.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight a potential mechanism of WFA that repairs neurons by modulating the sphingolipid signaling pathway within the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Acanthopanax Senticosus Saponins Prevent Cognitive Decline in Rats with Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive degenerative disease of the nervous system that affects older adults. Its main clinical manifestations include memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, abnormal behaviour, and social dysfunction. Neuroinflammation is typical in most neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD. Therefore, suppressing inflammation may improve AD symptoms. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of Acanthopanax senticosus saponins (ASS) in an AD model induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Here, we characterised a rat model of STZ-induced AD with the parallel deterioration of memory loss and neuroinflammation. Following the end of the treatment with ASS (50 mg/kg for 14 consecutive days), behavioural tests (Morris water maze test, Y-maze test) were performed on the rat, and the molecular parameters (DAPK1, Tau5, p-Tau, NF-κB, IL-1β, TNF-α, and NLRP3) of the rat hippocampus were also assessed. We demonstrated that ASS, which has potent anti-inflammatory effects, can reduce neuroinflammation and prevent cognitive impairment. In the water maze test, ASS-treated groups exhibited significantly increased average escape latency (p < 0.05), the percentage of stay in the target quadrant (p < 0.05), and the number of times each group of rats crossed the platform (p < 0.05) compared to the negative control. And ASS could reduce the phosphorylation of the Tau protein (p < 0.001) and death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1, p < 0.001) in the hippocampal tissue, improving cognitive impairment in STZ-treated rats by suppressing the inflammatory response; the molecular analysis showed a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory markers like NLRP3, IL-1β, TNF-α, and NF-κB (p < 0.001). It was also discovered that the NF-κB inhibitor SN50 had the same effect. Therefore, the present study used ASS through its anti-inflammatory effects to prevent and treat AD. This study highlights the potential efficacy of ASS in alleviating cognitive dysfunction in AD.

Convergence of Neuroinflammation, Microbiota, and Parkinson's Disease: Therapeutic Insights and Prospects

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder. Recent evidence reveals connections between neuroinflammatory processes and intestinal microbiota alterations in the progression of this pathology. This comprehensive review explores the intricate relationships between them, highlighting their combined impact on PD. Neuroinflammation, characterized by immune activation in the central nervous system, is increasingly acknowledged as a critical factor in the development of PD. Concurrently, alterations in the gut microbiota composition have been linked to PD, suggesting a potential modulatory role in disease progression. Thus, bidirectional communication along the gut-brain axis has become pivotal in comprehending the pathogenesis of PD. Furthermore, we explore emerging therapeutic strategies that target these interconnected pathways, providing insights into potential avenues for PD treatment. The elucidation of these intricate relationships establishes a promising foundation for innovative therapeutic strategies aimed at altering disease progression and improving the quality of life for individuals affected by PD.

The beneficial pharmacological effects of Uncaria rhynchophylla in neurodegenerative diseases: focus on alkaloids

With the intensification of aging population, the prevention or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, has drawn more and more attention. As a long used traditional Chinese medicine, Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Jacks., named Gouteng in Chinese, has been reported to have an effective neuroprotective role in neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, the beneficial pharmacological effects and signaling pathways of herbal formulas containing U. rhynchophylla, especially major compounds identified from U. rhynchophylla, such as corynoxine B, corynoxine, rhynchophylline, and isorhynchophylline, in neurodegenerative diseases, were summarized, which not only provide an overview of U. rhynchophylla for the prevention or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases but also give some perspective to the development of new drugs from traditional Chinese medicine.

From ancient wisdom to modern science: Gut microbiota sheds light on property theory of traditional Chinese medicine

The property theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been practiced for thousands of years, playing a pivotal role in the clinical application of TCM. While advancements in energy metabolism, chemical composition analysis, machine learning, ion current modeling, and supercritical fluid technology have provided valuable insight into how aspects of TCM property theory may be measured, these studies only capture specific aspects of TCM property theory in isolation, overlooking the holistic perspective inherent in TCM. To systematically investigate the modern interpretation of the TCM property theory from multidimensional perspectives, we consulted the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition) to compile a list of Chinese materia medica (CMM). Then, using the Latin names of each CMM and gut microbiota as keywords, we searched the PubMed database for relevant research on gut microbiota and CMM. The regulatory patterns of different herbs on gut microbiota were then summarized from the perspectives of the four natures, the five flavors and the meridian tropism. In terms of the four natures, we found that warm-natured medicines promoted the colonization of specific beneficial bacteria, while cold-natured medicines boosted populations of some beneficial bacteria while suppressing pathogenic bacteria. Analysis of the five flavors revealed that sweet-flavored and bitter-flavored CMMs positively influenced beneficial bacteria while inhibiting harmful bacteria. CMMs with different meridian tropism exhibited complex modulative patterns on gut microbiota, with Jueyin (Liver) and Taiyin (Lung) meridian CMMs generally exerting a stronger effect. The gut microbiota may be a biological indicator for characterizing the TCM property theory, which not only enhances our understanding of classic TCM theory but also contributes to its scientific advancement and application in healthcare. Please cite this article as: Yang YN, Zhan JG, Cao Y, Wu CM. From ancient wisdom to modern science: Gut microbiota sheds light on property theory of traditional Chinese medicine. J Integr Med 2024; 22(4): 413-445.

Relationships between Habitual Polyphenol Consumption and Gut Microbiota in the INCLD Health Cohort

While polyphenol consumption is often associated with an increased abundance of beneficial microbes and decreased opportunistic pathogens, these relationships are not completely described for polyphenols consumed via habitual diet, including culinary herb and spice consumption. This analysis of the International Cohort on Lifestyle Determinants of Health (INCLD Health) cohort uses a dietary questionnaire and 16s microbiome data to examine relationships between habitual polyphenol consumption and gut microbiota in healthy adults (n = 96). In this exploratory analysis, microbial taxa, but not diversity measures, differed by levels of dietary polyphenol consumption. Taxa identified as exploratory biomarkers of daily polyphenol consumption (mg/day) included Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, Enterococcus, Eubacterium ventriosum group, Ruminococcus torques group, and Sutterella. Taxa identified as exploratory biomarkers of the frequency of polyphenol-weighted herb and spice use included Lachnospiraceae UCG-001, Lachnospiraceae UCG-004, Methanobrevibacter, Lachnoclostridium, and Lachnotalea. Several of the differentiating taxa carry out activities important for human health, although out of these taxa, those with previously described pro-inflammatory qualities in certain contexts displayed inverse relationships with polyphenol consumption. Our results suggest that higher quantities of habitual polyphenol consumption may support an intestinal environment where opportunistic and pro-inflammatory bacteria are represented in a lower relative abundance compared to those with less potentially virulent qualities.