Gut-targeted therapies for type 2 diabetes mellitus: A review

Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance.The global prevalence of T2DM has reached epidemic proportions,affecting approximately 463 million adults worldwide in 2019.Current treatments for T2DM include lifestyle modifications,oral antidiabetic agents,and insulin therapy.However,these therapies may carry side effects and fail to achieve optimal glycemic control in some patients.Therefore,there is a growing interest in the role of gut microbiota and more gut-targeted therapies in the management of T2DM.The gut microbiota,which refers to the community of microorganisms that inhabit the human gut,has been shown to play a crucial role in the regulation of glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.Alterations in gut microbiota composition and diversity have been observed in T2DM patients,with a reduction in beneficial bacteria and an increase in pathogenic bacteria.This dysbiosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease by promoting inflammation and impairing gut barrier function.Several gut-targeted therapies have been developed to modulate the gut microbiota and improve glycemic control in T2DM.One potential approach is the use of probio-tics,which are live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts.Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that certain probiotics,such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species,can improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients.Mechanisms may include the production of short-chain fatty acids,the improvement of gut barrier function,and the reduction of inflammation.Another gut-targeted therapy is fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT),which involves the transfer of fecal material from a healthy donor to a recipient.FMT has been used successfully in the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection and is now being investigated as a potential therapy for T2DM.A recent randomized controlled trial showed that FMT from lean donors improved glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients with obesity.However,FMT carries potential risks,including transmission of infectious agents and alterations in the recipient's gut microbiota that may be undesirable.In addition to probiotics and FMT,other gut-targeted therapies are being investigated for the management of T2DM,such as prebiotics,synbiotics,and postbiotics.Prebiotics are dietary fibers that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria,while synbiotics combine probiotics and prebiotics.Postbiotics refer to the metabolic products of probiotics that may have beneficial effects on the host.The NIH SPARC program,or the Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions,is a research initiative aimed at developing new therapies for a variety of health conditions,including T2DM.The SPARC program focuses on using electrical stimulation to activate peripheral nerves and organs,in order to regulate glucose levels in the body.The goal of this approach is to develop targeted,non-invasive therapies that can help patients better manage their diabetes.One promising area of research within the SPARC program is the use of electrical stimulation to activate the vagus nerve,which plays an important role in regulating glucose metabolism.Studies have shown that vagus nerve stimulation can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood glucose levels in patients with T2DM.Gut-targeted therapies,such as probiotics and FMT,have shown potential for improving glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in T2DM patients.However,further research is needed to determine the optimal dose,duration,and safety of these therapies.

Psychosomatic medicine research of obesity and TCM countermeasures

As an epidemic disease,obesity is on the rise globally,seriously jeopardizing human health.China now has the largest overweight or obese population in the world.In addition to causing the typical physical symptoms of obesity,obesity is often accompanied by a variety of psychosomatic diseases,which are not only closely related to health behaviors,but also psychosocial plays an important role in them.Although there are differences in the symptoms exhibited by the major systems,most of the modern research has been interpreted from the inflammatory and immune responses,which provides a direction to find the mechanism of obesity physical and mental diseases.After researching and explaining the mechanism,we give the countermeasures of Chinese medicine in treating obesity from both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments and explore the mechanism,hoping to build a bridge between Chinese medicine treatment and the mechanism of the above mentioned physical and mental diseases,and to provide scientific evidence for the efficacy of Chinese medicine.

Study on the mechanism of acupuncture analgesia from the perspective of psychosomatic medicine

Acupuncture is a kind of traditional Chinese therapy which has gained increased attention in recent years.It has been shown that acupuncture is effective in treating many types of pain pathologically as well as psychologically.For instance,as a promising therapy for psychiatric disorders,acupuncture is helpful to alleviate depression,reduce the adverse effects of drug treatment at the same time.It is most widely utilized for management of chronic,noncancer pain in adults.As a non-pharmaceutical measure,acupuncture has the potential to make contribution to reduction in opioid overuse.Acupuncture analgesia can be analyzed from the perspective of psychosomatic medicine,contributing to a better understanding of its mechanism and function.The mechanisms are closely related to regulation of neurotransmitters and inflammatory factors,including down-regulation of Glutamate,5-hydroxytryptamine,dopamine,Substance P,Tumor necrosis factor-α,Interleukin(IL)-1,IL-6 and up-regulation ofβ-endorphin,endogenous opioid peptide,γ-aminobutyric acid,etc.Electro-acupuncture(EA)has pain-relief effects under some specific parameter values.Low frequency EA is more commonly used in clinical practice than high frequency EA.Our study conducts a comprehensive analysis of acupuncture analgesia and discusses associated characteristics of its mechanisms.

Clinical Application and Mechanism of Acupuncture in the Brain-Gut Interaction

Acupuncture and moxibustion is an important part of traditional medicine.Acupuncture and moxibustion can affect the digestive function of human body by interfering with the interaction between the brain and the intestines,while simultaneously having a benign adjustment effect on the mental state.In recent years,a large number of clinical studies at home and abroad have further proved the importance of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of physical and mental diseases,and related mechanism studies have provided modern scientific evidence for the intervention of acupuncture and moxibustion in the brain-gut interaction from the perspectives of intestinal flora and brain functional imaging.On this basis,we integrate relevant viewpoints to provide ideas and methods for future research.

Development of Intelligent Acupuncture Applications and Related Technologies

The study focuses on developing mobile applications based on intelligent acupuncture, classified into education and intelligent diagnosis and treatment. The mobile application function is divided into two directions: assisting acupoint positioning and perfecting acupoint knowledge system. The study does a relative review on Android and IOS, showing that the number of Android users is rather more prevailing than IOS. It suggests that intelligent acupuncture mobile applications should comply with the trend of acupuncture globalization in the future, developing multilingual versions. Further, the content should be characterized by the experience of different famous doctors to avoid homogenization. Technically, intelligent applications should continue to develop three-dimensional and augmented reality technology, to optimize the accuracy of acupoint positioning.