Effects of a Combination of Fu Zi and Rou Gui on Intestinal Neurotransmitters and Microflora in Rats with Slow Transit Constipation

[Objectives] This study was carried out to explore the combined effects of Fu Zi(Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata, the secondary root of perennial herbaceous plant Acontium carmichaeli Dehx. of family Ranunculaceae) and Rou Gui(Cortex Cinnamomi, the bark of Cinnamamunz cassia Presl of family Lauraceae) on intestinal neurotransmitters and microflora in rats with slow transit constipation(STC). [Methods] Experimental rats were given loperamide hydrochloride by gavage to induce STC, and then treated with Fu Zi alone, Rou Gui alone, a combination of Fu Zi and Rou Gui(2:1 w/w), and prucalopride, respectively, for 14 days. Meanwhile, the general condition, the time to first black stool and the rate of intestinal propulsion of rats in each group were observed after STC was induced and after drug treatment, and the pathological changes in rat colon were observed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the levels of colonic 5-hydroxytryptamine(HT), vasoactive intestinal peptide(VIP) and substance P(SP) were detected by ELISA, and the changes in intestinal flora were detected by 16S rRNA Real-time PCR. [Results] Compared with healthy rats, the time to first black stool and the rate of intestinal propulsion, colonic 5-HT and SP levels significantly decreased(p<0.01), while their colonic VIP level significantly increased(p<0.01). Compared with STC rats, the time to first black stool, the rate of intestinal propulsion, colonic 5-HT and SP levels in Fu Zi-Rou Gui(2:1) treated rats and prucalopride treated rats significantly increased(p<0.01), while their colonic VIP level significantly decreased(p<0.01). There was no significant difference in alpha diversity between healthy rats and STC rats. However, analysis on beta diversity revealed that there were differences in microflora structure and composition between them. Compared with healthy rats, the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in STC rats significantly increased, while that of Bacteroidetes decreased. Compared with STC rats, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria decreased and that of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes increased in Fu Zi-Rou Gui(2:1) treated rats;the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria decreased while that of Firmicutes increased in Fu Zi treated rats;the relative abundance of Proteobacteria decreased while that of Bacteroidetes increased in Rou Gui treated rats;the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria decreased while that of Bacteroidetes increased in prucalopride treated rats. The intestinal flora in rats of all groups was dominated by Lactobacillus spp. and other genera of anaerobic bacteria. Compared with healthy rats, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp. and Clostridium spp. in STC rats decreased, while those of Blautia spp. and Ruminococcus spp. and Allobaculum spp. increased. Compared with STC rats, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp. in all rats treated with drugs increased. [Conclusions] The combination of Fu Zi and Rou Gui(2:1) can effectively improve intestinal motility in STC rats by regulating intestinal microbial community and the levels of colonic neurotransmitters.

Study on the Extraction Techniques of Impatiens balsamina(Tougucao)

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the extraction method of Impatiens balsamina L.(Tougucao),and to optimize the extraction process conditions and parameters.[Methods]Different ethanol concentrations,ethanol amounts and extraction time were investigated by an orthogonal test L_(9)(3^(4))and high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC),and the extraction process parameters were evaluated by the yield of extract and the content of quercetin.[Results]Under the three optimal extraction conditions of impregnation,heating reflux and ultrasound,the extract yield and quercetin contents of I.balsamina were 8.27%,9.50%,7.09%and 1.60,3.05,3.03μg/g,respectively.Heating reflux extraction and ultrasonic extraction showed higher extract yields and quercetin contents of I.balsamina,while the values were lower under the impregnation extraction conditions.The primary and secondary factors were:ethanol amount(C)>ethanol concentration(A)>extraction time(B).The optimal extraction process of I.balsamina was as follows:adding 10 times of 60%ethanol and ultrasonically extracting for 30 min.[Conclusions]The method is simple,convenient,accurate and reliable,and provides a scientific basis for the research on the extraction process of I.balsamina and its preparations.

Identification of immune cell infiltration landscape for predicting prognosis of colorectal cancer

Background:The tumor microenvironment plays an essential role in the therapeutic response to immunotherapy.It is necessary to identify immune cell infiltration(ICI)subtypes for evaluating prognosis and therapeutic benefits.This study aimed to evaluate the ICI score as an effective prognostic biomarker for immune response.Methods:The cell-type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts and the estimation of stromal and immune cells in malignant tumors using expression methods were used to analyse ICI landscapes in 161 colorectal cancer(CRC)samples with patients’clinical and prognostic data,RNA sequencing data,and whole-exome sequencing data from the Sixth Affiliated Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University(Guangzhou,China).Statistical analysis and data processing were conducted to calculate ICI scores,and to analyse the prognosis of CRC patients with different ICI scores and other features.A similar analysis with RNA sequencing and clinical data of colon adenocarcinoma(COAD)samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database was conducted to confirm the correctness of the findings.Results:The high-ICI score group with a better prognosis(hazard ratio[HR],2.19;95%confidence interval[CI],1.03–4.64;logrank test,P=0.036)was characterized by the increased tumor mutational burden and interleukin-17(IL-17)signaling pathway.Significant differences in the prognosis and the expression levels of immune checkpoints and chemokine marker genes were found between the two ICI score groups.For COAD samples from TCGA,the results also showed a significant difference in patients’prognosis between the two ICI score groups(HR,1.72;95%CI,1.00–2.96;log-rank test,P=0.047).Conclusions:Tumor heterogeneity induced differences in identifying ICI subtypes of CRC patients.The ICI score may serve as an effective biomarker for predicting prognosis,help identify new therapeutic markers for CRC,and develop novel effective immune checkpoint blockade therapies.