Intestinal microecology is an important defense system in the human body. The intestinal flora is the core micro-ecosystem in the human intestine. It has a symbiotic relationship with the overall functions of the body. It has strong metabolic activity to maintain the normal functioning of the body and resist the invasion of various viral antigens in the body. Playing a protective function,the imbalanced intestinal microecology can cause various diseases. Polysaccharides can be extracted from a wide range of sources and have low toxicity and side effects. They have attracted wide attention because of their anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and other biological activities. Studies have demonstrated that polysaccharides can regulate intestinal microecological disorders. According to the studies in recent years, this review summarizes that polysaccharides mainly modulate intestinal microecological disorders through regulating the composition of intestinal flora, improving the metabolism of the flora, and repairing the intestinal tract barrier. On the basis of these mechanisms of action, this paper elaborates the anti-tumor, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activities of polysaccharides. This paper can provide reference for the future research on the intestinal microecology-regulating mechanism and biological activities of polysaccharides.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Ecosystem ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Humans ; Intestines ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology*

As a traditional Chinese medicine, Valeriana jatamansi has a long history of application in China. It is widely distributed and commonly adopted by many ethnic groups. In particular, its roots have a wide range of medicinal value. With the increasingly more attention on it from domestic and foreign researchers, there have been more and more studies on its pharmacological activity and mechanism. This essay summarizes domestic and foreign reports on its pharmacological activity and mechanism.
Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents ; pharmacology ; Antihypertensive Agents ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Central Nervous System Depressants ; pharmacology ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; drug effects ; Humans ; Plant Extracts ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; Valerian

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Agents ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Infant ; Lactulose ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; Male

Mosapride citrate (Mosapride) is a new prokinetic agent that enhances the gastrointestinal (GI) motility by stimulation of 5-HT4 receptors. This agent stimulates acetylcholine release from enteric cholinergic neurons in the GI wall. It was reported in several studies that mosapride selectively enhanced the upper, but not lower, GI motor activity. However, in these studies other 5-HT4 receptor agonists exerted stimulating effects on the motility of the colon. Moreover, it is well known that the receptors of 5-HT4 are also located in the colon. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of mosapride on the motility of the stomach, ileum and colon in the guinea pig and to investigate whether or not mosapride influenced the colonic motility. Mosapride significantly increased the amplitude of the contraction waves in the guinea pig stomach by electrical stimulation. In addition, it significantly increased the number of peaks, the area under the curve and the propagation velocity of the peristaltic contraction of the guinea pig ileum in a concentration dependent fashion. Mosapride also significantly shortened the transit time of the guinea pig colon. Accordingly, we concluded that mosapride exerted prokinetic effect on the entire GI tract of the guinea pig. Based on the possibility of similar results in humans, we suggest the potential use of mosapride for lower GI motor disorders such as constipation and upper GI motor disorders such as gastroesophageal reflex disease or gastroparesis.
Animals ; Benzamides/*pharmacology ; Colon/*drug effects ; Gastrointestinal Agents/*pharmacology ; Gastrointestinal Motility/*drug effects ; Guinea Pigs ; Ileum/*drug effects ; Morpholines/*pharmacology ; Stomach/*drug effects ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used in clinical practice from early 1990s for the treatment of acid- related diseases. PPIs are superior to histamine2-receptor antagonists or anticholinergic agents. These drugs have proven to be effective, safe and well-tolerated during the past two decades. This brief review presents the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of PPIs and presents clincal applications of the drugs in acid-related diseases.
Gastric Acid/*secretion ; Gastrointestinal Agents/pharmacokinetics/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Proton Pumps/*antagonists & inhibitors

In 2011, the term "enterotype" first appeared to the general public in Nature, which refers to stratification of human gut microbiota. However, with more studies on enterotypes conducted nowadays, doubts about the existence and robustness of enterotypes have also emerged. Here we reviewed current opinions about enterotypes from both conceptual and analytical points of view. We firstly illustrated the definition of the enterotype and various factors influencing enterotypes, such as diet, administration of antibiotics, and age. Then we summarized lines of evidence that pose the concept against the enterotype, and described the current methods for enterotype analysis. Finally, we showed that the concept of enterotype has been extended to other ecological niches. Based on current studies on enterotypes, it has been clear that more studies with larger sample sizes are needed to characterize the enterotypes. Improved computational methods are also required to build sophisticated models, reflecting the dynamics and resilience of enterotypes.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Child ; Diet ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; drug effects ; Humans ; Infant

The current study was aimed to investigate the potential effects of perinatal exposure to therapeutic dose of penicillin and cefixime on the cognitive behaviors, gastrointestinal (GI) motility and serum 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) level in the offspring. Pregnant rats were continuously treated with cefixime or penicillin in the period between 1 week before and 1 week after labor. Behavior tests, including social preference, self-grooming and elevated plus maze tests, and intestinal motility tests were carried out on the offspring at age of 4 to 10 weeks. Serum 5-HT levels were detected with ELISA, and potassium/sodium hyperpolarization activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 2 (HCN2) and tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) expression levels in colon epithelium of offspring were detected by Western blot and RT-qPCR. The results showed that, compared with the naive group, cefixime increased social behavior in the female offspring, but did not affect the male offspring. Compared with the naive group, cefixime significantly decreased colonic and intestinal transits, and increased cecum net weight and standardized cecum net weight in the male offspring, but did not affect the female offspring. The serum 5-HT levels in the male offspring, rather than the female offspring, in cefixime and penicillin groups were significantly increased compared with that in the naive group. The protein expression level of HCN2 in colon epithelium of the offspring in cefixime group was significantly down-regulated, and the TPH1 expression level was not significantly changed, compared with that in the naive group. These results suggest that perinatal antibiotics exposure may affect neural development and GI functions of the offspring, and the mechanism may involve peripheral 5-HT and gender-dependent factor.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Colon ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Male ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Serotonin ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase

OBJECTIVETo elucidate potential antioxidant, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activities of the ethanol extract of Alocasia indica Schott tuber in different experimental models established in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSIn vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay. Phenolic content was estimated by using Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent while reducing ability was measured by ferric reducing power assay. In vivo antidiarrheal studies were carried out in mice, and the activity was evaluated in castor oil and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea. Disk diffusion assay was utilized to determine antibacterial activity against a number of pathogenic bacterial strains. Acute toxicity test was carried out to measure the safe doses for the extract.

RESULTSIn DPPH radical-scavenging assay, the extract exhibited strong radical-scavenging activity with the 50% inhibitory concentration value of 42.66 μg/mL. Total phenolic content was found to be 542.26 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of dried tuber extract, whereas flavonoid content was found to be 4.30 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dried tuber extract. In reducing power assay, the extract showed strong reducing power in a concentration-dependent manner. The extract significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced the latent period and decreased defecation in both castor oil- and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea. The extract also lessened gastrointestinal motility in mice. Potential antibacterial activity was exhibited by the extract against all the tested bacterial strains in disk diffusion assay. The 50% lethal concentration against brine shrimp nauplii was 81.09 μg/mL.

CONCLUSIONThe results demonstrated that the ethanol extract of A. indica has potential antioxidant, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activity.

Alocasia ; chemistry ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Antidiarrheals ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Artemia ; drug effects ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; toxicity

Acorus ; chemistry ; classification ; Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Anticonvulsants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gastrointestinal Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

PURPOSE: Gastric emptying has been evaluated by scintigraphy in spite of its limitations of time consumption, cost, and danger of radioisotope. Endoscopy is a simple technique, however, its validation for gastric emptying and quantification of food has not yet been investigated. The aim of our study was to assess endoscopic gastric emptying compared with scintigraphy and radiopaque markers (ROMs) studies. We also investigated the effect of a single dose of mosapride on gastric emptying. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen healthy volunteers underwent scintigraphy. Next day, subjects received a standard solid meal with ROMs and underwent endoscopy and simple abdomen X-ray after 3 hrs. After one week, the same procedure was repeated after ingestion of mosapride (5 mg for group 1, n = 8; 10 mg for group 2, n = 7) 15 min before the meal. Quantification of gastric residue by endoscopy was scored from 0 to 3, and the scores were added up. RESULTS: All subjects completed the study without any complication. The gastric emptying rate [T1/2 (min)] was in normal range (65.6 +/- 12.6 min). Endoscopic gastric emptying was correlated significantly with gastric clearance of ROMs (r = 0.627, p = 0.012). Endoscopic gastric emptying and gastric clearance of ROMs after administration of mosapride showed significant differences in the 10 mg group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Endoscopy can evaluate gastric emptying safely and simply on an outpatient basis. A 10 mg dose of mosapride enhanced gastric emptying, assessed by both endoscopy and ROMs.
Adult ; Benzamides/*pharmacology ; Endoscopy/*methods ; Female ; Gastric Emptying/*drug effects ; Gastrointestinal Agents/*pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Morpholines/*pharmacology ; Radionuclide Imaging/*methods ; Stomach/radiography/radionuclide imaging ; Young Adult