Abstract
As an important source for traditional medical systems such as Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicines have received widespread attentions from all over the world, especially in developing countries. Over the past decade, studies on gut microbiota have generated rich information for understanding how gut microbiota shape the functioning of our body system. In view of the importance of gut microbiota, the researchers engaged in studying herbal medicines have paid more and more attention to gut microbiota and gut microbiota metabolites. Among a variety of gut microbiota metabolites, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have received most attention because of their important role in maintaining the hemostasis of hosts and recovery of diseases. Herbal medicines, as an important resource provider for production of SCFAs, have been demonstrated to be able to modulate gut microbiota composition and regulate SCFAs production. In this mini-review, we summarize current knowledge about SCFAs origination, the role of SCFAs in health and disease, the influence of herbal medicine on SCFAs production and the corresponding mechanisms. At the end of this review, the strategies and suggestions for further research of SCFAs and herbal medicines are also discussed.
Highlights
Herbal medicines, named botanical medicines or phytomedicines, are one kind of medicines that are derived from plants
Studies in recent years have showed that gut microbiota can metabolize various food and medicinal molecules and generate a series of metabolites such as shortchain fatty acids (SCFAs), indole derivatives, and polyamines, to regulate the homeostasis of human body and progress of diseases (Nicholson et al, 2012; Postler and Ghosh, 2017)
We focus on the progress of studies concerning biological effects of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and the effects of herbal medicines on gut microbiota composition and SCFAs production
Summary
Named botanical medicines or phytomedicines, are one kind of medicines that are derived from plants. Studies in recent years have showed that gut microbiota can metabolize various food and medicinal molecules and generate a series of metabolites such as shortchain fatty acids (SCFAs), indole derivatives, and polyamines, to regulate the homeostasis of human body and progress of diseases (Nicholson et al, 2012; Postler and Ghosh, 2017).
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