An investigation of the influence of intestinal flora in external traditional Chinese medicine therapyOA

External therapy, which has been used for millennia to treat disease, has now become the newest member of complementary and alternative therapies. A growing number of clinical studies and animal experiments have shown that external therapy exerts a positive effect on the intestinal flora. In this paper, we review the research related to external therapy on various systemic diseases and focus on changes in the intestinal flora. We found that studies on external therapy are dominated by acupunctur...     

Current perspectives on an emerging formal natural products sector in South Africa

Indigenous medical plants contribute significantly to a large South African population as part of a long-standing healthcare system intimately linked to folklore and for livelihood security. For the economically marginalized, access to such plants is largely through herbal markets which are part of an informal economy. Otherwise the formal natural products economy services those with a better socio-economic standing. Recently, the latter has experienced tremendous growth which largely mirrors the global cultural trend for organic naturopathies. Commercialisation of traditional plants and their contribution to the cosmeceutical, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries locally and abroad is reviewed. Traditional plant knowledge of southern African people is a source of inspiration for new product development. Concomitantly, an upsurge in research activities emanating from South Africa which confirms the pharmacological efficacy of these plants is fuelling a greater trust in indigenous flora. The escalating consumption of ethnomedicinals as highly valued commodities not only presents South Africa with socio-economic opportunities but also with challenges. Sustainable utilization benefiting the commodification of ethnoherbals, plus meeting aims of poverty alleviation and people empowerment, is a new paradigm in South Africa. The future sustainability of local ecosystems depends upon scientific conservation management practices that recognize the importance of involving local communities. Conservationists should remain aware and sensitive of socio-cultural dynamics within communities in order to manage natural resources.     

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of oral lactobacilli to improve the vaginal flora of postmenopausal women

Objective

The purpose of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to evaluate the influence of the orally administered probiotic strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 on the quality of the vaginal flora in postmenopausal women.

Study design

Postmenopausal women with Nugent scores between 4 and 6 in initial vaginal swab, were randomized into two groups. Women in the intervention group received probiotic capsules containing 2.5 × 10⁹ CFU (colony forming units) each of lyophilized L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 and women in the control group received an oral placebo once daily, in both groups for 14 days. Final vaginal swabs were taken 1 day after the last administration of the medication. The primary efficacy variable was a change in the Nugent score between baseline and the end of the study of at least two grades in each individual patient.

Results

Seventy two women were recruited in the study, 35 assigned to the intervention group and 37 to the control group. Twenty-one of the 35 subjects (60%) in the intervention group and 6 of the 37 subjects (16%) in the control group showed a reduction in the Nugent score by at least two grades. The difference in the number of patients with improvement was highly significant (p = 0.0001). The median difference in Nugent scores between baseline and the end of the study was 3 in the intervention group and 0 in the control group (p = 0.0001).

Conclusion

Our results provide evidence for an alternative modality to restore the normal vaginal flora using specific probiotic strains administered orally.     

参苓散调节小鼠肠道菌群作用的实验研究

目的 观察参苓散对小鼠肠道菌群的影响.方法 48只雄性昆明鼠,随机分为4组,即低、中、高3个剂量组和对照组,连续给予参苓散14 d,实验前后检测肠道乳杆菌、双歧杆菌、肠杆菌、肠球菌的数量.结果 中剂量组的小鼠肠道内双歧杆菌显著增加,肠杆菌减少,乳杆菌和肠球菌无显著变化;高剂量组的小鼠肠道内的双歧杆菌和乳酸杆菌的数量显著增多,肠杆菌的数量显著降低,肠球菌无变化.结论 参苓散具有调节小鼠肠道菌群及促进双歧杆菌、乳杆菌增殖的功效.     

重症监护病房呼吸机相关性肺炎的菌群分布及治疗

目的：对重症监护病房呼吸机相关性肺炎的菌群分布进行探讨,以制定有效的防治方案。方法回顾分析该院监护病房在2011年1月—2014年12月接收治疗的100例呼吸机相关性肺炎患者,分析、检测患者呼吸机相关性肺炎的菌群,以掌握其分布规律,进行对症治疗,观察患者的治疗效果。结果100例呼吸机相关性肺炎患者中共收集353份呼吸道分泌物标本,分离出病原菌273株,阳性率占77.3%,均不来自于同一患者,患者的病原菌以革兰阴性杆菌为主,占72.5%,其次是革兰阳性球菌（13.9%）、真菌（13.6%）。革兰阴性杆菌以金黄色葡萄球菌为主,占31.6%。在临床治疗中,由于氨苄青霉素、哌拉西林、头孢曲松钠、氨苄西林、青霉素、头孢唑林、新青Ⅱ等药物的耐药性较高,因此需避免此类药物的使用,以提高患者的临床治疗效果。结论重症监护病房呼吸机相关性肺炎的菌群受到多种因素的影响,因此需给予抗生素干预,且需避免滥用,以降低患者菌群的耐药性。     

肠道菌群改变与胰腺炎

肠道菌群与人体多种疾病都密切相关,可直接影响一些疾病的发生、发展、及预后。近年来,随着胰腺疾病研究的不断进展,人们发现胰腺疾病的发生发展与肠道微生态系统的变化密切相关。本文结合国内外文献,讨论了肠道菌群与急性胰腺炎、慢性胰腺炎、自身免疫性胰腺炎的关系及微生态治疗在胰腺炎治疗中的价值。     

黄连解毒汤对小鼠肠道菌群的影响

目的通过观察黄连解毒汤对小鼠肠道菌群的影响,为临床合理使用清热解毒中药提供参考资料。方法建立抗生素引起菌群失调的小鼠模型和不同剂量的黄连解毒汤灌胃小鼠模型,与正常小鼠比较,评价黄连解毒汤对小鼠肠道菌群的影响情况。结果灌胃14d后黄连解毒汤高剂量组出现菌群失调,其肠道益生菌与正常组差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。黄连解毒汤低剂量组无菌群失调现象,其肠道益生菌乳酸杆菌、双歧杆菌与抗生素组差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),且其条件致病菌肠球菌显著减少。结论黄连解毒汤在高剂量长期应用时有类似滥用抗生素的破坏作用,在低剂量使用时或许有调节肠道菌群平衡的作用。     

肠内酯与缺血性脑卒中的相关研究进展

肠内酯是植物木脂素经肠道菌群代谢产生的具有生物活性的酚类化合物,有抗氧化、抗炎、抗癌与类雌激素等作用.肠内酯对缺血性脑卒中(IS)的危险因素如高血压、糖尿病、动脉粥样硬化等有干预作用,并能通过维持血脑屏障及激活核因子E2相关因子2/血红素加氧酶-1等方式对缺血性脑损伤起神经保护作用,但具体机制尚不明确.本文综述了肠内酯...     

肠道菌群与支气管哮喘发病相关机制研究进展

支气管哮喘是由多种细胞和细胞组分参与的气道慢性炎症性疾病.自"卫生假说"提出并随着哮喘发病机制研究的不断深入,肠道菌群与哮喘的相关性以及肠道菌群影响哮喘发病的相关机制成为研究热点.肠道菌群影响哮喘发病的机制复杂,尚未完全阐明,目前研究主要包括:肠道菌群通过影响机体免疫耐受、免疫细胞的分化成熟和组织特异性归巢,通过其代谢...     

中国广东地区膝骨关节炎患者与健康人群肠道菌群差异性分析

目的比较中国广东地区骨关节炎(osteoarthritis,OA)患者与健康人群肠道菌群的宏基因组,初步分析其差异性及差异特征。方法选取我院从2017年6～12月收集的29名健康人群,66例膝OA患者粪便样本,其中膝OA患者根据K-L分型分为轻度OA组17例,重度OA组49例。检测前进行对基线比较。样本提取DNA后,使用Simpson多样性指数分析群落多样性,使用LEf Se分析对群落关键物种进行筛选;差异物种GO分析及Pathway分析进行差异性菌群代谢功能预测。结果 3组在身高、年龄及体重上没明显差异(P0.05); Simpson多样性指数分析表明轻度OA患者与健康人群肠道菌群多样性无显著差异,重度OA患者肠道微生物多样性显著低于健康人群。LEf Se分析发现,寡养单胞菌属(Stenotrphomonas)、黄单胞菌属(Xanthomonadacease)等18种菌群在膝骨关节炎患者人群中显著高丰度,毛螺旋菌属(Lachnospiraceae)、瘤胃球菌属(Ruminococcus)等6种菌群在膝骨关节炎患者人群中显著低丰度。寡养单胞菌属、黄单胞菌属两类菌群可以显著区分轻重型膝骨关节炎。差异物种GO分析提示寡养单胞菌属、黄单胞菌属等菌群的显著升高,对代谢类疾病、感染性疾病、心血管类疾病、免疫性疾病的发病具有增加的趋势。结论广东地区膝骨关节炎患者肠道菌群丰度和某些菌群与健康人群有显著差异,寡养单胞菌属、黄单胞菌属两类菌群可以显著区分轻重型膝骨关节炎。