Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026
05:41
Therapeutic Evaluation of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in an Interleukin 10-Deficient Mouse Model
Published on: April 6, 2022
[Intestinal microbiota and Kampo medicine]
Keiichiro Ohta1, Masaki Kitajima
1CoCenter of Gastroenterology, International University of Health and Welfare Mita Hospital, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8329, Japan. k-ohta@iuhw.ac.jp
Rinsho Byori. the Japanese Journal of Clinical Pathology
|July 23, 2009
Summary
Kampo medicine, widely used by clinicians, involves glycosides interacting with gut bacteria. Understanding this relationship is key to Kampo
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Microbiology
- Herbal Medicine Research
Context:
- Kampo medicine is utilized by over 70% of clinicians.
- Pharmacological understanding of Kampo, its herbs, and especially their interaction with the intestinal microbiota remains limited.
- Glycosides constitute a significant component (>10%) of Kampo formulations.
Purpose:
- To explore the pharmacological mechanisms of Kampo medicine, focusing on the role of glycosides and their interaction with the gut microbiota.
- To investigate how enteric bacteria metabolize glycosides, influencing their activation and the host's physiological response.
- To examine the bidirectional relationship between Kampo-derived compounds and the intestinal microbiota.
Summary:
- Orally ingested glycosides from Kampo medicine reach the colon, where enteric bacteria hydrolyze them into aglycones.
- The released aglycones are absorbed and activated, with their activation pathway being sensitive to alterations in gut microbiota composition.
- Kampo medicine may possess prebiotic properties, and its efficacy, including Kampo diagnosis (Sho), could be influenced by individual gut microbiota profiles.
Impact:
- Highlights the crucial role of the gut microbiota in Kampo medicine's pharmacological activity.
- Suggests potential synergistic therapeutic strategies combining Kampo medicine with probiotics.
- Emphasizes the need to consider the gut microbiome in Kampo diagnosis and treatment personalization.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Functions of the Gut Microbiota
The gut microbiota includes trillions of microorganisms that colonize the human gastrointestinal tract, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. This complex ecosystem plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal and systemic health. Most of these microbes inhabit the large intestine, establishing a relatively stable and diverse community that contributes to gut homeostasis through various metabolic, immunological, and protective mechanisms.Dominant bacterial phyla, such as...
01:27Microbiota of the Large Intestine
The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...
01:21Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics
Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...
01:22Introduction to the Human Microbiota
Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity, and disease...
01:29Bacterial Flora of the Large Intestine
The gut microbiome is formed by a vast and diverse community of bacteria that colonizes our large intestine. These bacteria start residing in the gut from birth and continue diversifying throughout life, influenced by factors such as diet, lifestyle, and stress. The gut bacterial community also includes bacteria from food and those that enter the colon through the anus.
The normal gut flora of the colon plays a critical role in generating essential vitamins such as vitamins K, B5, and B7.
The normal gut flora of the colon plays a critical role in generating essential vitamins such as vitamins K, B5, and B7.
01:27Microbiota of the Stomach and Small Intestine
The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is characterized by distinct physicochemical conditions that shape its microbial communities. Among these, the stomach presents a particularly challenging environment for microbial colonization due to its highly acidic pH, ranging from 1 to 3. This extreme acidity effectively limits microbial density. However, certain acid-tolerant microorganisms are capable of surviving in this niche. Notably, Helicobacter pylori can colonize the gastric mucosa,...