Effects of polysaccharides from Gastrodia elata on the immunomodulatory activity and gut microbiota regulation in cyclophosphamide‐treated mice

Abstract

BACKGROUND Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of malignant tumors and autoimmune diseases. However, it can cause immunosuppression and damage the intestinal mucosa. The development of new agents to counteract these side effects is becoming increasingly important. Previous studies have shown that the polysaccharides from Gastrodia elata (GEPs) have strong immune‐enhancing effects; however, their functions regarding the intestines and the underlying mechanism are still unclear. In this study, the effects of GEPs on immunomodulatory activity, intestinal barrier function, and gut microbiota regulation were investigated in a mouse model of CTX‐induced immunosuppression. RESULTS Gastrodia elata polysaccharides attenuated the CTX‐induced decrease in organ indices of the thymus and spleen, and promoted the secretion of immune‐related cytokines and immunoglobulins in the serum. They also improved the intestinal pathology and restored the intestinal barrier function by elevating the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins, occludin and ZO‐1. Moreover, GEPs restored the composition and abundance of the gut microbiota and increased the short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in the colon. The abundance of SCFA‐producing bacteria (Muribaculaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Bacteroidaceae) also increased. CONCLUSIONS Gastrodia elata polysaccharides can effectively alleviate immunosuppression and regulate the intestinal barrier integrity and the structure of gut microbiota in CTX‐treated mice. They may be used as ingredients to develop functional foods for intestinal health. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Supplementation of Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC14917 mitigates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in high-fat-diet-fed rats

“…The alpha diversity and beta diversity analyses were performed based on OTU clustering. In addition, the changes in gut microbiota at the phylum level were analyzed as our described previously ( Li et al, 2023 ).…”

Gastrodia elata polysaccharide alleviates Parkinson's disease via inhibiting apoptotic and inflammatory signaling pathways and modulating the gut microbiota

“…[32][33][34] Gastrodia elata polysaccharide (GEP) is the most abundant component in Gastrodia elata, which has the effects of anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and enhancing immunity. [35][36][37] It was reported that GEP also regulated the composition of the gut microbiota. 36 However, whether GEP has the potential to play neuroprotective roles by affecting the gut microbiota and become a candidate to alleviate PD has not been reported.…”

“…[35][36][37] It was reported that GEP also regulated the composition of the gut microbiota. 36 However, whether GEP has the potential to play neuroprotective roles by affecting the gut microbiota and become a candidate to alleviate PD has not been reported. Therefore, in this study, a polysaccharide from Gastrodia elata was pre-administered to mice beginning one week before MPTP induction and administration continued for 3 weeks to investigate its anti-PD effects, including those on motor dysfunction, α-SYN aggregation, DA neuron apoptosis and loss, and neuroinflammation.…”