Abstract
The severe side effects of chemosynthetic anti-diarrhea drugs have created an interest in low-toxic alternative plant-derived compounds. FengLiao consists of Polygonum hydropiper Linn. and Daphniphyllum calycinum Bench., and is widely used in China to treat diarrhea due to low levels of toxicity. In this study, the effects of FengLiao were analyzed in a castor oil-induced diarrhea model, using the anti-diarrhea drug, loperamide, as the positive control. The effects were evaluated using stool characteristics and the expression levels of various diarrhea-related factors in the jejunum and liver, as well as changes in the microbiota of the jejunum. The symptoms of diarrhea and stool consistency were improved through FengLiao and loperamide treatment. Furthermore, FengLiao down-regulated alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and up-regulated transferrin (TRF) mRNA levels in the liver, and down-regulated Aquaporin 3 (AQP3) and Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 8 (NHE8) expression in the epithelial cells of the jejunum. It also increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, Aerococcus, Corynebacterium_1 and Pseudomonas, and lowered the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio, which maintained the balance between immunity and intestinal health. Taken together, FengLiao alleviated castor oil-induced diarrhea by altering gut microbiota, and levels of jejunum epithelial transport proteins and acute phase proteins.
Highlights
Traditional herbal medicines are still widely used in Asia for the treatment of diarrhea, especially in China, Japan and Korea
This indicated that a diarrhea model had been successfully established, with both FengLiao and loperamide having produced an obvious therapeutic effect (Fig 2)
Upregulation of Aquaporin 3 (AQP3), NHE3 and Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 8 (NHE8) were observed in the untreated model group, compared with the untreated control group
Summary
Traditional herbal medicines are still widely used in Asia for the treatment of diarrhea, especially in China, Japan and Korea. The FengLiao formulation, which consists of Polygonum hydropiper Linn. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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