OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the combined Yiqi Huoxue Jiedu formula (YHJF) on intestinal microbiota in elderly patients with pulmonary-derived sepsis and identify potential microbial targets. METHODS: A prospective randomized double-blind controlled trial was conducted. Elderly patients with pulmonary infection-induced sepsis admitted to the emergency department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), intensive care unit (ICU) of Fangcun Hospital, and ICU of Daxuecheng Hospital, from November 2020 to October 2021 were enrolled and randomized into two groups. Both groups received conventional Western medicine treatment. The observation group additionally received YHJF (composed of 15 g of Panax ginseng, 9 g of Panax notoginseng, and 3 g of Rheum palmatum, dissolved in 50 mL warm water) orally or via nasogastric tube twice daily for 7 days; while the control group received a placebo. Clinical data and fresh fecal samples were collected before treatment and on days 5-7 of treatment. Intestinal microbiota diversity and structure were analyzed via 16S rDNA sequencing and bioinformatics [α diversity, β diversity, and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe)]. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were included (29 in the control group, 26 in the observation group). There were no significantly differences in gender, age, comorbidities, and baseline sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) classification score, and gastrointestinal failure (GIF) score between the two groups. Compared to the control group, the observation group showed significantly lower serum procalcitonin, APACHE II score, and greater reduction in GIF score by day 7. Thirty fecal samples were collected pre-treatment (baseline group), 29 post-treatment from the control group, and 26 from the observation group. Gut microbiota α diversity analysis revealed that Simpson index in the observation group and control group were significantly decreased compared to the baseline group [0.75 (0.53, 0.91), 0.81 (0.32, 0.91) vs. 0.88 (0.87, 0.89), both P < 0.05], but there was no significantly difference between the observation group and the control group. There were no significantly differences in Chao1, Ace, and Shannon indices among three groups. β diversity analysis indicated that distinct microbiota structures among three groups (R² = 0.096, P = 0.026). Species difference analysis showed that, at the phylum level, Firmicutes (53.69%), Actinobacteria (16.23%), Proteobacteria (15.39%), and Bacteroidetes (9.57%) dominated, with no significant intergroup differences. At the genus level, 38 taxa showed significant differences. Compared to the control group, the observation group exhibited increased Erysipelatoclostridium (P = 0.014) and Faecalibacterium (P = 0.013), and decreased Bacteroides (P = 0.009), Bilophila (P = 0.005), Eggerthella (P = 0.002), and Collinsella (P = 0.043). LEfSe analysis highlighted Lactobacillus salivarius, Erysipelatoclostridium, Collinsella, Cloacibacillus, and Bacteroides as key discriminators. CONCLUSION YHJF combined with conventional therapy alters intestinal microbiota structure in patients with elderly pulmonary-derived sepsis, with Bacteroides, Erysipelatoclostridium, and Collinsella identified as potential microbial targets.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Double-Blind Method ; Sepsis/drug therapy* ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics* ; Male ; Female ; Panax notoginseng ; Rheum

Atherosclerosis(AS)is a leading cause of coronary heart disease,myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke.It has been demonstrated that oral microbiome may potentially affect the progression of AS.Oral microbial disorders are not only associated with AS risk factors including hyperglycemia,obesity and smoking,but also contribute to the progression of AS by inducing systematic and local inflammatory responses.Detection and intervention targeted on oral microbiome could provide new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Objective:To explore the effect of pentraxin 3 (PTX3) on memory improvement and Aβ expression in Alzheimer's disease (AD) model mice.Methods:(1) Ten 5-month-old 5×FAD mice were randomly divided into PTX3 group and model group ( n=5); 5 C57BL/6 wild-type mice at the same age were selected as control group; mice in the PTX3 group and control group were stereotactically injected 4 μL 0.5 g/L PTX3 or same dose of phosphate buffered saline (PBS); Morris water maze test was used to detect the learning and memory abilities, Y maze test was used to detect the short-term memory, and ELISA was used to obsevre the contents of Aβ 40 and Aβ 42 in the brain hemisphere. (2) Twenty-five 3-month-old 5×FAD mice were randomly divided into model group, 2 μg/kg PTX3 group, 4 μg/kg PTX3 group, 8 μg/kg PTX3 group, and 16 μg/kg PTX3 group ( n=5); 5 C57BL/6 wild-type mice at the same age were selected as control group; mice in the PTX3 groups were intranasally injected 2, 4, 8, and 16 μg/kg PTX3, respectively; those in the model group and control group were intranasally injected same dose of PBS; injection was given once every 96 h for a total of 7 times. Morris water maze test was used to detect the learning and memory abilities, Y maze test was used to detect the short-term memory, and ELISA was used to obsevre the contents of Aβ 40 and Aβ 42 in the hippocampus. Results:(1) Compared with the model group, the PTX3 group had significantly shorter platform latency, higher percentage of exploration time and higher percentage of spontaneous alternations ( P<0.05). Compared with those in model group ([63.38±21.42] pg/mL, [29.77±6.11] pg/mL), the concentrations of Aβ 40 and Aβ 42 in the brain tissues of PTX3 group ([15.87±2.11] pg/mL, [16.55±1.95] pg/mL) were statistically lower ( P<0.05). (2) Compared with the model group, the 16 μg/kg PTX3 group had significantly shorter escape latency and higher percentage of exploration time ( P<0.05); compared with the model group, the 2 μg/kg PTX3 group and 16 μg/kg PTX3 group had significantly higher percentage of spontaneous alternations ( P<0.05). The contents of Aβ 40 and Aβ 42 in the hippocampus of 8 μg/kg PTX3 group and 16 μg/kg PTX3 group were statistically lower compared with those in the model group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:PTX3 may attenuate cognitive deficits and decrease Aβ expression in the brain or hippocampus tissues of 5×FAD mice with AD.