Investigation of the metabolites of five major constituents from Berberis amurensis in normal and pseudo germ-free rats

Gut Microbiome-Derived Metabolism Screen System Reveals Dehydrogenation Metabolism of Isorhynchophylline

Plant-derived natural products are commonly consumed orally and can be structurally modified by the gut microbiota, potentially altering their biological activity. However, high-throughput studies on their microbial metabolism remain limited. This study applied an in vitro screening system for microbiome-derived metabolism using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze the metabolism of 200 natural products by human gut microbiota, and successfully annotated 118 natural products metabolized by gut microbiota. For the first time, metabolic reactions of isorhynchophylline and wilforgine in the intestine were documented. Notably, a substantial increase in the plasma concentration of isocorynoxeine was observed in human microbiota-colonized rats following isorhynchophylline administration compared to those without colonization, suggesting that the dehydrogenation of isorhynchophylline by gut microbiota observed in the in vitro screening system also occurs in vivo. 16S rRNA gene sequencing further revealed an increased abundance of Klebsiella and Escherichia-Shigella following isorhynchophylline administration, suggesting that these genera may influence its microbial transformation or pharmacological activity.

Dietary herbs that interact with gut microbiota: roles as anti-stroke agents

Growing evidence suggests that dietary herbs can prevent stroke by regulating the composition and structure of gut microbiota. The components of dietary herbs can also be metabolized or converted into bioactive molecules for treating stroke by gut microbiota, and exert therapeutic effects by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and other processes caused by stroke. A deep understanding of the mechanism of gut microbiota-mediated dietary herbal intervention in stroke is of great significance for the treatment and drug screening of stroke diseases. In this review, we summarise the complex bidirectional relationship between stroke and gut microbiota and provide a detailed introduction to the mechanism of the interaction between dietary herbs and gut microbiota in intervening in stroke. In addition, we also discuss the limitations of current research and potential directions in this field, hoping to provide ideas and references for the treatment and drug development of stroke diseases.

Graphical abstract

Dietary herbs and active ingredients can balance the intestinal microbiota disorders in stroke patients or models, and herbal ingredients can be converted into more easily absorbed active substances under the action of microorganisms, thereby exerting therapeutic effect on stroke diseases.

Tongbian decoction restores intestinal microbiota and activates 5-hydroxytryptamine signaling: implication in slow transit constipation

Introduction

Slow transit constipation (STC) is a type of functional constipation. The detailed mechanism of STC, for which there is currently no effective treatment, is unknown as of yet. Tongbian decoction (TBD), a traditional Chinese medicinal formula, is commonly used to treat STC in clinical settings. However, the potential impact of TBD on the management of STC via modulation of the gut microbiota remains unclear.

Methods

Pseudo-germ-free rats were constructed after 6 days of treatment with bacitracin, neomycin, and streptomycin (abbreviated as ABX forthwith). Based on the successful construction of pseudo-germ-free rats, the STC model (ABX + STC) was induced using loperamide hydrochloride. After successful modeling, based on the different sources of donor rat microbiota, the ABX + STC rats were randomly divided into three groups: Control → ABX + STC, STC → ABX + STC, and STC + TBD → ABX + STC for fecal microbiota transplant (FMT). Body weight, fecal water content, and charcoal power propelling rate of the rats were recorded. Intestinal microbiota was detected by 16S rRNA sequencing, and the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) signaling pathway was examined by western blots, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemical analysis.

Results

After treatment with fecal bacterial solutions derived from rats treated with Tongbian decoction (TBD), there was an increase in body weight, fecal water content, and the rate of charcoal propulsion in the rats. Additionally, activation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) signaling pathway was observed. The 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that the fecal bacterial solution from TBD-treated rats affected the intestinal microbiota of STC rats by increasing the proliferation of beneficial bacteria and suppressing the expansion of harmful bacteria.

Conclusion

Our study showed that TBD alleviated constipation in STC rats by modulating the structure of the intestinal microbiota.

Berberine interacts with gut microbiota and its potential therapy for polycystic ovary syndrome

Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Chinese medicinal plants showing a tight correlation with gut microbiota. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent reproductive and endocrine disorder syndrome among women of childbearing age. Dysbiosis, the imbalance of intestinal microorganisms, is a potential factor that takes part in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Recent evidence indicates that berberine offers promise for treating PCOS. Here, we review the recent research on the interaction between berberine and intestinal microorganisms, including the changes in the structure of gut bacteria, the intestinal metabolites after BBR treatment, and the effect of gut microbiota on the bioavailability of BBR. We also discuss the therapeutic effect of BBR on PCOS in terms of gut microbiota and its potential mechanisms.

Potential roles of gut microbes in biotransformation of natural products: An overview

Natural products have been extensively applied in clinical practice, characterized by multi-component and multi-target, many pharmacodynamic substances, complex action mechanisms, and various physiological activities. For the oral administration of natural products, the gut microbiota and clinical efficacy are closely related, but this relationship remains unclear. Gut microbes play an important role in the transformation and utilization of natural products caused by the diversity of enzyme systems. Effective components such as flavonoids, alkaloids, lignans, and phenols cannot be metabolized directly through human digestive enzymes but can be transformed by enzymes produced by gut microorganisms and then utilized. Therefore, the focus is paid to the metabolism of natural products through the gut microbiota. In the present study, we systematically reviewed the studies about gut microbiota and their effect on the biotransformation of various components of natural products and highlighted the involved common bacteria, reaction types, pharmacological actions, and research methods. This study aims to provide theoretical support for the clinical application in the prevention and treatment of diseases and provide new ideas for studying natural products based on gut biotransformation.

Current Evidence and Future Directions of Berberine Intervention in Depression

A major type of serious mood disorder, depression is currently a widespread and easily overlooked psychological illness. With the low side effects of natural products in the treatment of diseases becoming the pursuit of new antidepressants, natural Chinese medicine products have been paid more and more attention for their unique efficacy in improving depression. In a view from the current study, the positive antidepressant effects of berberine are encouraging. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to accurately elucidate the efficacy and mechanism of berberine in depression. In this review, the relevant literature reports on the treatment of depression and anxiety by berberine are updated, and the potential pharmacological mechanism of berberine in relieving depression has also been discussed.