Regulatory effects of traditional Chinese medicine on intestinal flora

Abstract

Two traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), namely WangshiBaochiwan and Panax Notoginseng Saponins (notoginsenoside), were chosen to study their effects on gut microbiota. Both of them have a long history of application in China. During a test of 28 d, different doses of the medicines were administered to male Wistar rats daily. At the end of the administration, fresh fecal samples were collected and subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing to determine the profiles of gut microbiota. In relative to the controls, effects on gut microbiota were evaluated with medicine-treated rats. Consistent with its unique bidirectional effects on constipation and diarrhea, treatment of WangshiBaochiwan led to a balanced regulation of Lactobacillus and Bacteroides. The treatment also led to increased populations of Ruminiclostridium_9 and Eubacterium_ventriosum that are the major producer of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), and decreased populations of genus Jeotgalicoccus and Bilophila that are associated with inflammation. These changes therefore resulted in a much healthier microbiota environment in WangshiBaochiwan-treated rates. For the treatment of notoginsenoside, effects were found with Enterobacteriaceae species that is associated with Parkinson's disease, Christensenellaceae family that is associated with aging, and hypertension-associated Rikenellaceae, Christensenellaceae, Lachnospiraceae and Bacteroidaceae species. In agreement with its major indications, the treatment further led to increased populations of SCFA-producing bacteria, such as Elusimicrobium, Anaerotruncus, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, and Intestinimonas. Taken together, treatment of the two TCMs led to active and distinguishable regulations of gut microbiota. Impressively, these changes were in agreement with their clinical efficacy, and suggested that they were involved in the treatment of these diseases.