Study on the mechanism of JiChuanJian in the treatment of slow-transmission constipation based on network pharmacology

Background:Slow-transit constipation remains a functional colonic disorder with the most common gastrointestinal complaint.Although JiChuanJian(JCJ)is used for treatment,little is known about its mechanism of action.We aimed to investigate the mechanism of JCJ in treating slow-transmission constipation based on network pharmacology.Methods:The chemical components and action targets of the six herbs of JCJ were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systematic Pharmacology Analysis Platform.Protein targets of the chemical components were obtained from the UniProt database,whiles the disease targets were retrieved from the Gene Cards database,Disgenet,and TTD databases.A Wayne diagram was drawn and the intersected targets were imported onto the STRING website for analysis to construct protein-protein interaction target interactions.The Cytoscape software constructed protein-protein interaction to identify core targets and drug-active component-target interaction networks.The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and gene ontology enrichment analyses were performed through the DAVID analysis website.Results:A total of 55 potential drug-active components of JCJ,233 drug-active ingredient targets,3215 slow-transmission constipation-related targets,and 176 drug and disease targets were identified.The core drug-active ingredients included quercetin,beta-sitosterol,stigmasterol,kaempferol and wogonin.Through enrichment analysis in DAVID database,we obtained 236 biological processes,31 cellular components and 41 molecular functions,mainly involving serotonin binding,G-protein coupled serotonin receptor activity,and neurotransmitter receptor activity,were identified.118 pathway enrichment results were obtained after the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis.Therefore,we hypothesized that the active components in JCJ,such as quercetin,β-sitosterol,and stigmasterol,may treat slow transit constipation by regulating the serotonergic synapse and cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling pathway.Conclusion:This study showed that JCJ could play a role in treating slow-transmission constipation through multiple components,targets and pathways.

The efficacy and mechanism of fecal microflora transplantation in the treatment of slow transit constipation based on metabonomics anion mode

Background:Fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)based on the positive ion mode of metabonomics has a good therapeutic benefit for slow transit constipation(STC)patients.However,a piece of comprehensive metabolomics information is yet to be established.The aim of the study was to explore the efficacy and mechanism of FMT in the treatment of STC under metabonomics.Methods:Eight STC patients meeting the set inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled and treated with FMT(three times).The Patient Assessment of Constipation-Symptoms(PAC-SYM),weekly total defecation times,and defecation frequency scores of these STC patients were compared before and after treatment.Feces and serum of STC patients before and after treatment were analyzed using 16SrDNA and metabolomics.Results:After FMT treatment,the PAC-SYM score of constipated patients decreased[(5.00±2.94)vs(5.20±2.87)],while the number of complete defecations per week increased[(2.00±1.79)vs(1.69±1.80)].The score of defecation frequency decreased[(0.83±1.03)vs(0.86±0.95)].The metabolites in the feces and serum of patients receiving FMT changed significantly(P<0.05).The results from 16SrDNA analysis showed that theαandβdiversity of the fecal microbiome changed significantly(P<0.05)after transplantation,and the contents of genera Lactobacillus,Bacillus,Succiniclasticum,Cellvibrio,and Escherichia increased in FMT treated patients.Conclusion:FMT may treat STC by increasing the beneficial intestinal flora and metabolites in the anion mode of metabolomics.

The advances of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of liver diseases in 2019

Background:Currently,the treatment of liver diseases remains an unsolved problem due to its complicated etiology and pathogenesis.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has been used for liver disease treatment for thousands of years.Disease treatment using TCM compounds conforms to the concept of“holism”,which coincides with the complicated pathogenic mechanisms of liver diseases.However,the mechanisms have not been clearly explained due to the complex components and multi-targets,which is a big obstacle TCM’s popularity and application.In recent years,studying the mechanisms and identifying the novel ingredients in herbal medicines are becoming a hot spot for many researchers.Therefore,we obtained literature in PubMed and summarized the progress of TCM’s active ingredients and formulas in treating various liver diseases in 2019.Based on the literature,flavonoids,polysaccharides,saponins,and alkaloids,as well as Chinese medicine formulas,such as Ba-Bao pill and Yin-Chen-Hao decoction,have attracted much attention.In addition,we also focused on the application of new omics analysis techniques,such as metabolomics,network pharmacology,and other omics analyses in the study of TCM formulas.

Traditional Chinese medicine:an important broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus treatment strategy on COVID-19 background?

Coronaviruses exist widely in nature,can cause cross-species transmission,and pose serious threats to human and animal health.Over the past 20 years,coronaviruses have led to three major epidemics that have caused global panic,including severe acute respiratory syndrome,Middle East respiratory syndrome,and coronavirus disease-19.At present,coronavirus disease 19 not only spreads rapidly,but also mutates easily to escape host immune response,becoming more pathogenic.At present,there are no effective specific therapeutic drugs or vaccines.Drugs targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and the host cell defense system that have been developed based on the structure and replication cycle of coronaviruses have a certain broad-spectrum antiviral effect;however,their efficacy still needs to be demonstrated in further clinical trials.Traditional Chinese medicine has an indispensable role in the ongoing response to coronavirus disease-19.Anti-virus treatment with traditional Chinese medicine has advantages such as broad-spectrum application,low toxicity and side effects,low susceptibility to drug resistance,and overall comprehensive regulation.Therefore,researches on effective components and mechanisms of action of the anti-viral effects of traditional Chinese medicine have increasingly gained attention.The present paper examines coronaviruses,specifically summarizing the genomes,replication mechanisms,and mutant strains.Afterward,the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action of modern broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus drugs and traditional Chinese medicine are summarized.By considering the virus and the targets in the host comprehensively,in addition to the beneficial multi-target and multi-path antiviral effects of traditional Chinese medicines,this paper could guide the development of treatment strategies for broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus traditional Chinese medicines,and could facilitate the modernization and globalization of traditional Chinese medicine.