Dose of sucrose affects the efficacy of Qiweibaizhu powder on antibiotic-associated diarrhea: Association with intestinal mucosal microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, IL-17, and MUC2

Abstract

IntroductionDue to the poor taste of Qiweibaizhu powder (QWBZP), patients have difficulty taking medicine, which leads to poor compliance and limits clinical use to a certain extent. In the trend of restricting sugar intake, sweeteners have gained massive popularity, among which sucrose is a commonly used sweetener in preparations. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different sucrose dose addition with antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) by intervened QWBZP on intestinal mucosal microbiota.MethodsThirty specific-pathogen-free (SPF) Kunming (KM) male mice were randomly divided into normal group (N), natural recovery group (M), QWBZP group (Q), low dose sucrose group (LQ), medium dose sucrose group (MQ), and high dose sucrose group (HQ). Subsequently, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and GC-MS techniques were used to analyze the intestinal mucosal microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) in intestinal contents, respectively, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine mucin 2 (MUC2) and interleukin 17 (IL-17).ResultsCompared with the Q group, the results showed that with the increase of sucrose dose, the intestinal microbial structure of mice was significantly altered, and the intestinal microbial diversity was elevated, with the poor restoration of the intestinal biological barrier, decreased content of SCFAs, high expression of inflammatory factor IL-17 and decreased content of mucosal protective factor MUC2. In conclusion, we found that the addition of sucrose had an effect on the efficacy of the AAD intervented by QWBZP, which was less effective than QWBZP, showing a certain dose-response relationship. In this experiment, it was concluded that the addition of sucrose might also further lead to intestinal inflammation and the disruption of the intestinal mucosal barrier, and the production of metabolites SCFAs.DiscussionThe addition of sucrose might also further lead to intestinal inflammation and the disruption of the intestinal mucosal barrier, and the production of metabolites SCFAs. However, these findings still need to be verified in a more extensive study. The effect of adding the sweetener sucrose on the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine in treating diseases also still needs more research.

Zhishi Daozhi decoction alleviates constipation induced by a high-fat and high-protein diet via regulating intestinal mucosal microbiota and oxidative stress

“…We used an AUC of >0.8 as the standard to verify the accuracy of the diagnosis and the joint evaluation of characteristics. Using ROC analysis, different groups can determine whether they have diagnostic efficacy (Li et al, 2023 ). In the analysis of the MN and MR groups ( Figure 6A ), the bacteria with an AUC of >0.8 were Corynebacterium (AUC = 0.960), Akkermansia (AUC = 0.900), Aerococcus (AUC = 0.900), Lactobacillus (AUC = 0.880), Candidatus Arthromitus (AUC = 0.920), and Bacillus (AUC = 0.800).…”

The dysfunction in intestinal microorganisms and enzyme activity as significant contributors to diarrhea with kidney-yang deficiency syndrome

“…it is also a typical indicator used to study the characteristics of microbial communities in natural samples ( Li X. Y. et al, 2021 ). Our group has successfully applied FDA hydrolase activity to assess the overall activity of gut microbiota in animals and humans, although this method was initially developed for soil microbial activity evaluation ( Li C. R. et al, 2023 ). FDA is hydrolyzed by non-specific enzymes (esterases, proteases, lipases, etc.)…”

“…Sample tube: 2 mL of FDA reaction solution and 10 μL of sample were added to a dry sterilized tube, the mixture was incubated at 24°C for 90 min before removal, and the reaction was terminated by adding 2 mL of acetone. Finally, the absorbance value was measured with a UV spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 490 nm ( Li C. R. et al, 2023 ).…”

“…Metabolites produced by the gut microbiota, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), play a crucial role in maintaining intestinal health. They contribute to regulating water and electrolyte balance, modulating the equilibrium of the gut microbiota, enhancing intestinal function, exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects, and regulating gene expression ( Li C. R. et al, 2023 ). Diarrhea may induce changes in the metabolites of gut microbiota, subsequently affecting intestinal function ( Masuda et al, 2023 ).…”

An overview of traditional Chinese medicine affecting gut microbiota in obesity

“…SCFAs, mainly acetate, propionate, and butyrate, are produced by the gut microbiota through the metabolism of complex dietary plant polysaccharides (49,50). As one of the primary metabolites of the intestinal microbiota, SCFAs can lower intestinal pH to a certain extent, thereby inhibiting the viability of pathogenic microbiota from promoting intestinal microecological balance and maintaining the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier (51). SCFAs are an important source of energy for the host, contributing up to 70% of the daily energy supply for herbivores and 10% of the total daily energy needed for omnivores (13).…”