BACKGROUND: Although many studies have reported the therapeutic effects of hot spring bathing on various diseases, its influence on healthy individuals is not well understood. Myoban Onsen, a sulfur-rich hot spring in Beppu City, Japan, is traditionally believed to improve skin conditions, relieve fatigue, and promote relaxation. However, scientific verification of these effects, particularly their impact on gut microbiota and related metabolic outcomes in healthy individuals, remains scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Myoban hot spring bathing on gut microbiota composition and SCFA concentrations in healthy individuals. METHODS: In this study, 16 healthy adult males (n = 16) participated in Myoban hot spring bathing four times over two weeks. Fecal samples were collected before and after the intervention, and 16S rRNA sequencing and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were performed to analyze gut microbiota composition and organic acid concentrations. The effects of hot spring bathing were evaluated using the Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-rank test to compare pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: After Myoban hot spring bathing, there was a significant increase in beneficial gut bacteria, Bifidobacterium, Blautia, and Anaerostipes, compared to pre-bathing (p = 0.0012, p = 0.0103, and p = 0.0017, respectively). Conversely, significant decreases were observed in Parabacteroides, Alistipes, and Oscillibacter (p = 0.0125, p = 0.0215, and p = 0.0125, respectively). Significant increases in SCFAs, including acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid, were observed after Myoban hot spring bathing (p = 0.0067, p = 0.0125, and p = 0.0302, respectively). These findings suggest that Myoban hot spring bathing may benefit healthy adult males. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that Myoban hot spring bathing may improve gut health in healthy males. The observed increases in beneficial bacteria and SCFAs indicate a potential contribution to improved health status through modulation of the gut environment. TRIAL REGISTRATION Registration number: UMIN000055229, retrospectively registered.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Male ; Hot Springs ; Pilot Projects ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/analysis* ; Adult ; Japan ; Feces/chemistry* ; Bacteria/genetics* ; Young Adult ; Baths ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/analysis* ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the molecular mechanisms of the adverse effects of exposure to sulfamonomethoxin (SMM) in pregnancy on the neurobehavioral development of male offspring. METHODS: Pregnant mice were randomly divided into four groups: control- (normal saline), low- [10 mg/(kg•day)], middle- [50 mg/(kg•day)], and high-dose [200 mg/(kg•day)] groups, which received SMM by gavage daily during gestational days 1-18. We measured the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces from dams and male pups. Furthermore, we analyzed the mRNA and protein levels of genes involved in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in the hippocampus of male pups by RT-PCR or Western blotting. RESULTS: Fecal SCFA concentrations were significantly decreased in dams. Moreover, the production of individual fecal SCFAs was unbalanced, with a tendency for an increased level of total fecal SCFAs in male pups on postnatal day (PND) 22 and 56. Furthermore, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3k)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mTOR or mTOR/ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1)/4EBP1 signaling pathway was continuously upregulated until PND 56 in male offspring. In addition, the expression of Sepiapterin Reductase (SPR), a potential target of mTOR, was inhibited. CONCLUSION In utero exposure to SMM, persistent upregulation of the hippocampal mTOR pathway related to dysfunction of the gut (SCFA)-brain axis may contribute to cognitive deficits in male offspring.
Alcohol Oxidoreductases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents ; toxicity ; Fatty Acids, Volatile ; analysis ; Feces ; chemistry ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Sulfamonomethoxine ; toxicity ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism

Prebiotics modulate microbial composition and ensure a healthy gastrointestinal tract environment that can prevent colon cancer development. These natural dietary compounds are therefore potential chemopreventive agents. Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats (4 months old) were experimentally treated with procarcinogen dimethylhydrazine to induce colon cancer development. The rats were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group (CG), a group treated with dimethylhydrazine (DMH), and a group given DMH and inulin, a prebiotic (DMH+PRE). The effects of inulin on the activities of bacterial glycolytic enzymes, short-chain fatty acids, coliform and lactobacilli counts, cytokine levels, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and transcription nuclear factor kappa beta (NFkappaB) immunoreactivity were measured. Inulin significantly decreased coliform counts (p < 0.01), increased lactobacilli counts (p < 0.001), and decreased the activity of beta-glucuronidase (p < 0.01). Butyric and propionic concentrations were decreased in the DMH group. Inulin increased its concentration that had been reduced by DMH. Inulin decreased the numbers of COX-2- and NFkappaB-positive cells in the tunica mucosae and tela submucosae of the colon. The expression of IL-2, TNFalpha, and IL-10 was also diminished. This 28-week study showed that dietary intake of inulin prevents preneoplastic changes and inflammation that promote colon cancer development.
Animals ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Colon/enzymology ; Colonic Neoplasms/chemically induced/*drug therapy/metabolism ; Colony Count, Microbial ; Cyclooxygenase 2/genetics/metabolism ; Cytokines/blood/genetics ; Diet ; Dietary Supplements/analysis ; Dimethylhydrazines/toxicity ; Enterobacteriaceae/drug effects/physiology ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/genetics/metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects ; Inulin/administration & dosage/*metabolism ; Lactobacillaceae/drug effects/physiology ; Male ; NF-kappa B/genetics/metabolism ; Prebiotics/*analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Early-warning of compartmentalized anaerobic reactor (CAR) was investigated in lab-scale. The performance stability of CAR at high loading rate was worse than that at common loading rate. At high loading rate, the fluctuation of effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration and volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration was larger than that of influent COD concentration. The average relative standard deviation of effluent COD concentration and VFA concentration was 32.95% and 40.46% respectively, while that of influent COD concentration was 8.08%. The saturation of volumetric loading rate (S(VLR)) and VFA (S(VFA)) could be used to alarm the performance of anaerobic reactors. The working performance was good when the CAR was operated at normal organic loading rate (OLR), in which S(VLR) and S(VFA) were below 0.89 and 0.40 respectively. The fluctuation of performance became larger when the CAR was operated at OLR near saturation, in which S(VLR) and S(VFA) were close to 1. The performance of CAR was deteriorated when the S(VLR) and S(VFA) were more than 1.
Anaerobiosis ; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis ; Bioreactors ; microbiology ; Fatty Acids, Volatile ; analysis ; Sewage ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; methods

OBJECTIVETo analyze the volatile components of YL2000 decoction, which contain four herbs: rhizome and root of the Notopterygium incisum, the root of the Angelica pubescens f. biserrata, Scutellaria baicalensis and Coptis chinensis and investigate the changes of volatile constituents from those four herbs before and after compatibility of the herbal medicines.

METHODThe volatile components of YL2000 decoction were extracted by water-steam distillation, separated and identified by GC-MS. The relative percent content of each volatile component was quantified by area normalization method. The volatile components of YL2000 decoction were compared with the composition of the volatile oil from individual herb respectively.

RESULT39 of the 146 separated constituents in volatile oil of YL2000 decoction, accounting for 85.66%, were identified and quantified. After compatibility of the herbal medicines, most volatile oil components reported by high proportion in individual herb were not detected, in the mean time, some components in volatile oil of YL2000 decoction have never been reported before in those of all four herbs.

CONCLUSIONThe changes of volatile oil from those four herbs before and after compatibility of the herbal medicines indicate that solubilization, chemical reactions and evaporation of some volatile components during decocting may induce changes of several components.

Angelica ; chemistry ; Apiaceae ; chemistry ; Coptis ; chemistry ; Coumarins ; analysis ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fatty Acids ; analysis ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Hot Temperature ; Hydrocarbons ; analysis ; Oils, Volatile ; analysis ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Scutellaria baicalensis ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the volatile fatty acids in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and to analyze the relationship between the levels of the volatile fatty acids and chronic periodontitis.

METHODSGCF samples taken from 37 patients with chronic periodontitis and 16 volunteers with healthy periodontal status were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis.

RESULTSThe detection frequencies and concentrations of succinic acid, butyric acid and valeric acid were significantly higher in GCF of chronic periodontitis than in that of healthy group. The detection frequencies of propionic acid had no statistic difference between the two groups, but the concentrations of it was significantly higher in inflammation group. We also found that the concentrations of succinic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid were significantly lower in shallow pockets than that in deep pockets.

CONCLUSIONSThe volatile fatty acids, especially succinic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and valeric acid were associated significantly with the severity and inflammation of periodontal disease. The levels of succinic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid in GCF were related to pocket depth.

Adult ; Aged ; Butyrates ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Periodontitis ; metabolism ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; Fatty Acids, Volatile ; analysis ; Female ; Gingival Crevicular Fluid ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Periodontium ; metabolism ; Propionates ; analysis ; Succinic Acid ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the optimum extraction parameters and components on ant oil from Polyrhachis vicina.

METHODThe optimum condifious for supercritical CO2 fluid extraction (SFE-CO2), were investigated with orthogonal design, GC-MS was applied for analyzing. The components and their contents in the ant oil were analyzed by GC-MS, and the contents of lead, zinc and manganese in the oil were determined by ICP-AES.

RESULTThe optimum extraction parameters were achieved, temperature of 50 degrees C, pressure of 30 MPa and time of 2 hours. The extracting yield of the ant volatile oil was 11.4% - 14.3%. 51 Constituents were identified including 9-octadecenoic acid, ethyl oleate, cholesterol, n- Hexadecanoic acid, etc, and the content of various constituents was determined by orea normalization. The oil contained unsaturated fatty acid of 64.6%, lead of 0.80 microg x g(-1), zinc of 0.54 microg x g(-1) and manganese of 0.15 microg x g(-1).

CONCLUSIONThe method showes advantages including faster and efficient of extraction, good quality and no solvent residues in the oil.

Animals ; Ants ; chemistry ; Carbon Dioxide ; Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid ; methods ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; analysis ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Lead ; analysis ; Manganese ; analysis ; Materia Medica ; chemistry ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Zinc ; analysis