Study on Anti-Constipation Effects of Hemerocallis citrina Baroni through a Novel Strategy of Network Pharmacology Screening

Abstract

Daylily (Hemerocallis citrina Baroni) is an edible plant widely distributed worldwide, especially in Asia. It has traditionally been considered a potential anti-constipation vegetable. This study aimed to investigate the anti-constipation effects of daylily from the perspective of gastro-intestinal transit, defecation parameters, short-chain organic acids, gut microbiome, transcriptomes and network pharmacology. The results show that dried daylily (DHC) intake accelerated the defecation frequency of mice, while it did not significantly alter the levels of short-chain organic acids in the cecum. The 16S rRNA sequencing showed that DHC elevated the abundance of Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium and Flavonifractor, while it reduced the level of pathogens (such as Helicobacter and Vibrio). Furthermore, a transcriptomics analysis revealed 736 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after DHC treatment, which are mainly enriched in the olfactory transduction pathway. The integration of transcriptomes and network pharmacology revealed seven overlapping targets (Alb, Drd2, Igf2, Pon1, Tshr, Mc2r and Nalcn). A qPCR analysis further showed that DHC reduced the expression of Alb, Pon1 and Cnr1 in the colon of constipated mice. Our findings provide a novel insight into the anti-constipation effects of DHC.

Salicylic acid modulates secondary metabolism and enhanced colchicine accumulation in long yellow daylily (Hemerocallis citrina)

“…LYD is widely distributed in Mongolia, Russia, China, Japan, Korea and Europe and is popular for its attractive flowers ( Guo et al 2022 , 2023 ). It is a material of choice in treating depression and has also shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-constipation, anti-lactation deficiency and neuroprotective abilities ( Tian et al 2017 ; Matraszek-Gawron et al 2019 ; Zhong et al 2021 ; Ma et al 2022 , 2023 ; Jiang et al 2023 ; Liang et al 2023 ). It is a rich source of nutrients (amino acids, carbohydrates, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and vitamins C, B1, B2 and B5) and functional substances, such as lecithin, alkaloids, phenolic acids, flavonoids and saponins ( Guo et al 2022 ; Li et al 2022 ).…”

The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis in Behaviour and Brain Disorders

“…Liang et al [1] investigated the anti-constipation effects of Hemerocallis citrina Baroni (Daylily, DHC) on gastrointestinal transit, defecation parameters, short-chain organic acids, the gut microbiome, transcriptomes and network pharmacology. The authors demonstrated that the administration of DHC accelerates the defecation frequency of mice and elevates the abundance of some beneficial bacterial taxa while reducing the levels of pathogens in cecal contents.…”