Gut microbiome of treatment-naïve MS patients of different ethnicities early in disease course.

Although the intestinal microbiome has been increasingly implicated in autoimmune diseases, much is unknown about its roles in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Our aim was to compare the microbiome between treatment-naïve MS subjects early in their disease course and controls, and between Caucasian (CA), Hispanic (HA), and African American (AA) MS subjects. From fecal samples, we performed 16S rRNA V4 sequencing and analysis from 45 MS subjects (15 CA, 16 HA, 14 AA) and 44 matched healthy controls, and whole metagenomic shotgun sequencing from 24 MS subjects (all newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve, and steroid-free) and 24 controls. In all three ethnic groups, there was an increased relative abundance of the same single genus, Clostridium, compared to ethnicity-matched controls. Analysis of microbiota networks showed significant changes in the network characteristics between combined MS cohorts and controls, suggesting global differences not restricted to individual taxa. Metagenomic analysis revealed significant enrichment of individual species within Clostridia as well as particular functional pathways in the MS subjects. The increased relative abundance of Clostridia in all three early MS cohorts compared to controls provides candidate taxa for further study as biomarkers or as etiologic agents in MS.

Evaluation of anti-tussive activity of Chamaedorea tepejilote.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Evaluate the potential inhibition of cough in a mouse model induced by sulfur dioxide gas of methanol and chloroform extracts of aerial parts of Chamaedorea tepejilote. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The antitussive effect was examined using the Ogyhara method. The extracts and theobromine were orally administered to mice. Each extract was administered to one group (400mg/Kg) and theobromine (2mg), and negative control received PVP. The frequency of cough was measured at 60, 90min after the administration of chloroform extract. RESULTS: The water extract of C. tepejilote had no effect on the pharmacological model used in this study. The effects of the methanol and chloroform extracts of this plant on sulfur-dioxide-induced cough in experimental animals show activity dose-dependently in the range between 100 to 500mg/Kg. At doses of 400mg/kg, the methanol and chloroform extracts inhibited cough by 41.72% and 49.1%, respectively; these results are comparable to the effect produced by the antitussive agent theobromine (53.4% inhibition). CONCLUSIONS: Both extracts exhibited significant antitussive activity, and the effect of the chloroform extract was dose dependent. The antitussive activity of this extract was comparable to that of theobromine. The effect of chloroform extract on the trachea was also tested; it did not relax pre-contractions in guinea pig trachealis induced KCl, carbachol or histamine.