Crosstalk between traditional Chinese medicine‐derived polysaccharides and the gut microbiota: A new perspective to understand traditional Chinese medicine

Polysaccharide is a kind of macromolecule polymer composed of monosaccharides connected by glycosidic bonds. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), composed of various bioactive ingredients, is usually rich in polysaccharides. In recent years, extensive research on TCM polysaccharides has demonstrated...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Phytotherapy research 2022-11, Vol.36 (11), p.4125-4138
Main Authors: Yue, Bingjie, Zong, Gangfan, Tao, Ruizhi, Wei, Zhonghong, Lu, Yin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
Chinese medicine
Clinical trials
Colonization
Fatty acids
Genomes
Herbal medicine
Homeostasis
Intestinal microflora
Metabolites
Microbiota
Monosaccharides
Pharmacology
Polymers
Polysaccharides
Probiotics
Saccharides
SCFAs
TCM polysaccharides
the gut microbiota
Traditional Chinese medicine
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Summary:Polysaccharide is a kind of macromolecule polymer composed of monosaccharides connected by glycosidic bonds. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), composed of various bioactive ingredients, is usually rich in polysaccharides. In recent years, extensive research on TCM polysaccharides has demonstrated their pharmacological effects. Polysaccharides can hardly be catabolized by enzymes encoded by the human genome but can be degraded to absorbable metabolites by bacteria inhabiting the colon. Hence, the gut microbiota plays a vital role in degrading TCM polysaccharides into short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which exert physiological functions locally and systemically. Besides, TCM polysaccharides can also modulate the composition and activities of the gut microbiota by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibiting the colonization of pathogenic bacteria, ultimately restoring gut homeostasis and improving human health. In this review, we discuss the extraction and pharmacological effects of TCM polysaccharides, various functions of the gut microbiota, and the interactions between TCM polysaccharides and the gut microbiota, illuminating the mechanisms of TCM polysaccharides modulating host physiology via the gut microbiota. To firmly establish the clinical efficacy of TCM polysaccharides, further high‐quality studies especially clinical trials are needed. Generally, discussion on the interplay between TCM polysaccharides and the gut microbiota is expected to elucidate their application prospects and inspire new thoughts in the development of TCM.
ISSN:0951-418X
1099-1573
DOI:10.1002/ptr.7607