Therapeutic mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine to improve metabolic diseases via the gut microbiota

• Published in: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy 2021-01, Vol.133, p.110857-110857, Article 110857
• Main Authors: Zhang, Hai-Yu, Tian, Jia-Xing, Lian, Feng-Mei, Li, Min, Liu, Wen-Ke, Zhen, Zhong, Liao, Jiang-Quan, Tong, Xiao-Lin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - metabolism; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Dysbiosis; Energy Metabolism - drug effects; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - drug effects; Gut microbiota; Humans; Intestines - microbiology; Lipid Metabolism - drug effects; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Metabolic disease; Metabolic Diseases - drug therapy; Metabolic Diseases - metabolism; Metabolic Diseases - microbiology; Therapeutic mechanism; Traditional Chinese medicine; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0753-3322; 1950-6007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110857

Mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines in improving metabolic diseases by regulating the gut microbiota mainly includes the modulation of intestinal barrier function, metabolic endotoxemia, inflammation, short-chain fatty acids, gut-brain axis, and bile-acid metabolism. [Display omitted] •Traditional Chinese medicine significantly improve glucose and lipid metabolism by modulating the gut microbiota.•Traditional Chinese medicine could affect the abundance of mucin-degrading bacteria, bacteria with anti-inflammatory properties, lipopolysaccharide- and short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, and bacteria with bile-salt hydrolase activity.•Traditional Chinese medicine could protect the intestinal barrier function, modulate metabolic endotoxemia and inflammatory responses, regulate the effects of short-chain fatty acids, modulate the gut-brain axis, regulate bile acid and tryptophan metabolism. Metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia are associated with the dysfunction of gut microbiota. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have shown considerable effects in the treatment of metabolic disorders by regulating the gut microbiota. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Studies have shown that TCMs significantly affect glucose and lipid metabolism by modulating the gut microbiota, particularly mucin-degrading bacteria, bacteria with anti-inflammatory properties, lipopolysaccharide- and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, and bacteria with bile-salt hydrolase activity. In this review, we explored potential mechanisms by which TCM improved metabolic disorders via regulating gut microbiota composition and functional structure. In particular, we focused on the protection of the intestinal barrier function, modulation of metabolic endotoxemia and inflammatory responses, regulation of the effects of SCFAs, modulation of the gut-brain axis, and regulation of bile acid metabolism and tryptophan metabolism as therapeutic mechanisms of TCMs in metabolic diseases.