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.

Towards a scientific rationale for traditional properties of Chinese medicinal plants: “natures” and “flavors”

Objective: According to theory of Chinese medicine property, the ecological environment shapes properties(natures and flavors) of Chinese materia medica(CMM) and there are close relationships between certain natures and flavors. However, to date these observations have not been validated scientifically in the context of the whole flora of a region. The present study aims to address this gap.Methods: We collected geographical distributions of 3637 vascular plant species native to the Xinjiang region of northwest China, of which around 812 are medicinal plants. The CMM property characters of these medicinal plants were also collected. All medicinal plants were then analyzed in the occurrence of their natures(cold, cool, neutral, warm, and hot) and flavors(sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and pungent). Possible correlations between these properties and environmental factors, notably climate, as well as correlations with plant species richness of the wider native flora of Xinjiang were then investigated using permutation test and regression.Results: Cold species(38.5%) were more numerous than warm(21.0%) and neutral(22.3%), while bitter species(43.3%) were more numerous than pungent(25.6%), sweet(22.4%) and sour(6.7%) ones. Species with bitter flavor were most commonly also cold(48.6%) in nature, sour flavor usually coincided with cold(44.2%) or cool nature(26.0%), whereas pungent or sweet species tended to be warm(34.4%, 28.4%) or neutral(27.8%, 28.4%). The percentages of species of cold/cool nature, bitter flavor were higher in mountainous regions, and the percentages of warm/neutral and pungent/sweet/sour were higher in basins. The percentages of species of cold/cool, bitter were positively correlated with actual evapotranspiration(AET),and also plant species richness but had a bell-shaped relationship with potential evapotranspiration(PET),whereas the inverse situation was shown for warm/neutral and pungent/sweet/sour species.Conclusion: Analysis of the data in Xinjiang region of China supports the qualitative observations concerning natures and flavors in traditional theory of Chinese medicine property. Specifically,(i) certain natures and flavors co-occur more frequently than if randomly distributed;(ii) correlations between proportions of natures and flavors and climatic variables suggest a role for the environment in shaping the properties of CMM.

Chemical Constituents with Antihyperlipidemic Activities from Desmodium triquetrum

Objective To study the chemical constituents from Desmodium triquetrum and their antihyperlipidemic activities. Methods The constituents of D. triquetrumwere isolated and purified using various column chromatographies. Their chemical structures were elucidated using extensive spectroscopic methods. The lipid-lowering effects of the isolates were evaluated in HepG2 cells. Results Nine compounds were obtained from the ethanol extract of D. triquetrum and determined to be 6＇-O-cis-p-coumaroyl- 3,5-dihydroxyphenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside （1）, tadehaginoside （2）, rutin （3）, quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside （4）, quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactopyranoside （5）, 6-O-（E）-p-hydroxy-cinnamoyl-β-glucose （6）, 6-O-（E）-p-hydroxy-cinnamoyl-α-glucose （7）, kaempferol-3-O-β-D-rutinoside （8）, and 3-O-β-D-galacopyranosyl （6-1）-α-L- rhamnosyl quercetin （9）. Compounds 1 and 2 significantly reduced the intracellular content of total cholesterols and triglycerides. Conclusion Compound 1 is a new phenolic compound and exhibits potent anti-hyperlipidemic activity. Additionally, compounds 6 and 7 are isolated from D. triquetrum for the first time.

Gut Microbiota Brings a Novel Way to Illuminate Mechanisms of Natural Products in vivo

Poor bioavailability and undefined major/direct targets are two major obstacles for herbal medicines and natural products（NPs） to elucidate their precise mechanisms in vivo. Gut microbiota is an important bridge between eukayotic body and environment, which can interact with a majority of medicines with poor bioavailability and mediate their in vivo pharmacological activities. There are two main modes through which gut microbiota may mediate the pharmacological effects of NPs. First, gut microbiota catabolizes the NPs in herbal medicines into secondary metabolites with higher bioavialability and/or higher activity, facilitating the NPs enter circulation and exert beneficial impact at the pathological spot. Second, herbal medicines and NPs can favorably shift the compositional structure of gut microbiota, thereby performing remote functions to diseased organs/tissues via the systemic impaction of gut microbiota. In this review, the potential pathways were summarized through which gut microbes facilitate the pharmacological functions of herbal medicines and NPs and highlight the significance of gut microbiota in clarifying the in vivo mechanisms of herbal medicines and NPs.