16S rRNA gene profiling and genome reconstruction reveal community metabolic interactions and prebiotic potential of medicinal herbs used in neurodegenerative disease and as nootropics.

The prebiotic potential of nervine herbal medicines has been scarcely studied. We therefore used anaerobic human fecal cultivation to investigate whether medicinal herbs commonly used as treatment in neurological health and disease in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine modulate gut microbiota. Profiling of fecal cultures supplemented with either Kapikacchu, Gotu Kola, Bacopa/Brahmi, Shankhapushpi, Boswellia/Frankincense, Jatamansi, Bhringaraj, Guduchi, Ashwagandha or Shatavari by 16S rRNA sequencing revealed profound changes in diverse taxa. Principal coordinate analysis highlights that each herb drives the formation of unique microbial communities predicted to display unique metabolic potential. The relative abundance of approximately one-third of the 243 enumerated species was altered by all herbs. Additional species were impacted in an herb-specific manner. In this study, we combine genome reconstruction of sugar utilization and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) pathways encoded in the genomes of 216 profiled taxa with monosaccharide composition analysis of each medicinal herb by quantitative mass spectrometry to enhance the interpretation of resulting microbial communities and discern potential drivers of microbiota restructuring. Collectively, our results indicate that gut microbiota engage in both protein and glycan catabolism, providing amino acid and sugar substrates that are consumed by fermentative species. We identified taxa that are efficient amino acid fermenters and those capable of both amino acid and sugar fermentation. Herb-induced microbial communities are predicted to alter the relative abundance of taxa encoding SCFA (butyrate and propionate) pathways. Co-occurrence network analyses identified a large number of taxa pairs in medicinal herb cultures. Some of these pairs displayed related culture growth relationships in replicate cultures highlighting potential functional interactions among medicinal herb-induced taxa.

Hemostatic efficacy of a traditional medicinal plant extract (Ankaferd Blood Stopper) in bleeding control.

The aim of this study is to assess the in vivo hemostatic effect of Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) on rats using a tail bleeding model. Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups of 9 each: group 1, control, no pretreatment, irrigated with saline; group 2, no pretreatment, irrigated with ABS; group 3, control, heparin pretreatment, irrigated with saline; and group 4, heparin pretreatment, irrigated with ABS. To control bleeding, compressive dressings were placed after instilling 1 mL of either ABS or saline to the bleeding area. Without heparin pretreatment, ABS shortened hemostasis time by 1.57 minutes and reduced the amount of bleeding by 0.85 g. With heparin pretreatment, ABS shortened hemostasis time by 3.29 minutes and reduced the amount of bleeding by 1.32 g. The ABS was more effective than saline irrigation for treating tail tip bleeding in rats, with or without heparin pretreatment, while also using a compressive dressing.

Therapeutic efficacy of intraventricular cyclosporine A and methylprednisolone on a global cerebral ischemia model in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Cyclosporine A (CsA) with its immunosuppressive actions and methylprednisolone (MP) as a free radical scavenger were suggested together to alleviate neural tissue damage after an ischemic insult. The aim of this study was to investigate neuroprotective properties of CsA and MP in a global cerebral ischemia model. METHODS: Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into four separate groups: CsA, MP, sham and control. Global cerebral ischemia was performed with the four-vessel occlusion model. After 30 minutes of ischemia, reperfusion was started with concomitant intraventricular administration of saline, MP (20 mg/kg) and CsA (10 mg/kg) into the lateral ventricle. Lipid peroxidation levels were measured from all experimental groups. Rats subjected to global cerebral ischemia exhibited a significant increase in cerebral lipid peroxide levels 6 hours after the onset of reperfusion. Both CsA and MP treatment significantly attenuated the degree of lipid peroxidation in cerebral tissues (p<0.05). Histopathological examinations of the CA1 sector of the hippocampus verified the neuroprotective properties of MP and CsA. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested the neuroprotective properties of both agents, emphasizing more potent protection against ischemia by CsA. It was proposed that CsA could have exerted this effect with the blockage of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pores, which are also critical if the necrotic and apoptotic cascades of the cell are considered. MP is judged to be neuroprotective, particularly in terms of its effects on lipid peroxidation. In conclusion, CsA and MP are ascertained to be neuroprotective agents as long as they cross the blood-brain barrier.

Beneficial effect of hyperbaric oxygenation on liver regeneration in cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Underlying hepatic injury and cirrhosis are leading factors that interfere with the post-operative liver regeneration and function. Hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) has been reported to ameliorate the ischemia-reperfusion injury of the liver, to induce compensatory hypertrophy of the predicted remnant liver in rats after portal vein ligation and to augment liver regeneration after hepatectomy in non-cirrhotic rats. Our aim was to determine the effect of HBO treatment on liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in normal and cirrhotic mice in this experimental study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of HBO on liver regeneration was studied in a mice model combining carbon tetrachloride induced cirrhosis and partial hepatectomy. Mice were divided into four groups: Control, cirrhotic, non-cirrhotic HBO-treated, and cirrhotic HBO-treated. All animals underwent 40% hepatectomy. Liver regeneration was evaluated by the proliferating cell nuclear antigen-labeling index. Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were measured to evaluate liver injury. RESULTS: Serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were significantly decreased in HBO-treated cirrhotic group compared to cirrhosis group after hepatectomy (P = 0.001 and P = 0.014, respectively). The proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index was significantly higher in HBO treated cirrhotic group than in cirrhotic group after hepatectomy (P = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that HBO treatment improves liver functions and augments hepatocyte regeneration in cirrhotic mice after hepatectomy. Post-operative HBO treatment may have a beneficial effect on post-operative liver function and regeneration in cirrhotic patients.