Patchouli Essential Oil and Its Derived Compounds Revealed Prebiotic-Like Effects in C57BL/6J Mice

Abstract

Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth (PC) is a Chinese medicinal plant traditionally used for the treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms. To investigate the prebiotic effect of patchouli essential oil (PEO) and its derived compounds through the modulation of gut microbiota (GM). C57BL/6J mice were treated with the PEO and three active components of PEO, i.e. patchouli alcohol (PA), pogostone (PO) and β-patchoulene (β-PAE) for 15 consecutive days. Fecal samples and mucosa were collected for GM biomarkers studies. PEO, PA, PO, and β-PAE improve the gut epithelial barrier by altering the status of E-cadherin vs. N-cadherin expressions, and increasing the mucosal p-lysozyme and Muc 2. Moreover, the treatments also facilitate the polarization of M1 to M2 macrophage phenotypes, meanwhile, suppress the pro-inflammatory cytokines. Fecal microbial DNAs were analyzed and evaluated for GM composition by ERIC-PCR and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The GM diversity was increased with the treated groups compared to the control. Further analysis showed that some known short chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing bacteria, e.g. Anaerostipes butyraticus, Butytivibrio fibrisolvens, Clostridium jejuense, Eubacterium uniforme, and Lactobacillus lactis were significantly enriched in the treated groups. In addition, the key SCFAs receptors, GPR 41, 43 and 109a, were significantly stimulated in the gut epithelial layer of the treated mice. By contract, the relative abundance of pathogens Sutterlla spp., Fusobacterium mortiferum, and Helicobacter spp. were distinctly reduced by the treatments with PEO and β-PAE. Our findings provide insightful information that the microbiota/host dynamic interaction may play a key role for the pharmacological activities of PEO, PA, PO, and β-PAE.

Potential benefits of patchouli alcohol in prevention of human diseases: A mechanistic review

“…Meanwhile, Bacteroides , Escherichia , Helicobacter , and Parabacteroides are closely associated with intestinal inflammation and disease severity [43] . The positive effects of PA on intestinal barrier function and gut microbiota were further supported by a study investigating the prebiotic activity of PA in mice of normal condition [28] . Oral administration of PA (20 mg/kg) for 15 consecutive days improved intestinal epithelial barrier function, evidenced in increased E-cadherin/N-cadherin ratio and tight junction markers (ZO-1 and occludin).…”

“…Moreover, PA showed intestinal immunosuppressive activity in terms of down-regulation of immune cell adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-18 and TNFα) and upregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10). Interestingly, the immunosuppressive properties of PA might result from inactivation of polarization to M1-type macrophages, evidenced by down-regulation of the proinflammatory M1-type macrophage marker (iNOS and CXCL10); PA showed no effect on the anti-inflammatory M2-type macrophage marker (Arginase 1 and mannose receptor) [28] . Moreover, the effect of PA on intestinal barrier function might result from gut microbiota modulating activity of PA. PA increased the abundance of lactic acid-producing bacteria ( L. johnsoni and L. reuteri ) and short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria ( Prevotella spp., C. jejunese , and C. populeti ), along with enhancing SCFA-sensing receptors (GPR41 and GRP43) in intestinal tissue [28] .…”

“…Interestingly, the immunosuppressive properties of PA might result from inactivation of polarization to M1-type macrophages, evidenced by down-regulation of the proinflammatory M1-type macrophage marker (iNOS and CXCL10); PA showed no effect on the anti-inflammatory M2-type macrophage marker (Arginase 1 and mannose receptor) [28] . Moreover, the effect of PA on intestinal barrier function might result from gut microbiota modulating activity of PA. PA increased the abundance of lactic acid-producing bacteria ( L. johnsoni and L. reuteri ) and short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria ( Prevotella spp., C. jejunese , and C. populeti ), along with enhancing SCFA-sensing receptors (GPR41 and GRP43) in intestinal tissue [28] . Lactic acid producing-bacteria in the host gut can improve intestinal barrier function, host digestion and nutrient absorption, and lactic acid maintains the intestinal PH balance [46] .…”

“…Diverse health beneficial activities have been documented for PA, including: anti-influenza virus [10] , [11] , [12] , [13] , anti-inflammatory [14] , [15] , [16] , [17] , anti-oxidative [18] , anti-ulcerogenic [19] , [20] , anti-colitis [21] , [22] , anti-mucositis [23] and protective activities against brain and lung injuries [24] , [25] . Most recently, the effects of PA on cancer and metabolic disorders including obesity, fatty liver and gut microbiota have come under investigation [26] , [27] , [28] , [29] . However, despite these diverse beneficial effects, there is a lack of preclinical and clinical studies for the use of PA in the treatment of human diseases.…”

Pharmacological activities and mechanisms of action of Pogostemon cablin Benth: a review

“…The results of several studies have suggested that PO and its derivatives, including pogostone, PA, and β-PAE, serve to support the function of the gut epithelial barrier, to facilitate the polarization of M1 to M2 macrophage phenotypes, to increase the diversity of the GM, and to suppress the pro-inflammatory cytokines in mouse model systems. Taken together, these results suggest that the pharmacological activities of PA, pogostone, and β-PAE contribute to the dynamic interactions between the host and the GM [ 135 ].…”