Modified Renshen Wumei Decoction Improves Qi-Yin Deficiency Diarrhea by Regulating the Gut Microbiotas and Metabolites in Rats

TL;DR

This study shows that Modified Renshen Wumei Decoction helps treat Qi-Yin deficiency diarrhea in rats by changing gut microbes and metabolites.

Contribution

The study identifies specific hub microorganisms and metabolites involved in MRWD's therapeutic effects on Qi-Yin deficiency diarrhea.

Findings

MRWD ameliorated intestinal injury caused by diarrhea in rats.

Five microorganisms showed better performance than the positive control in MRWD intervention.

2-Methylbutyrate was identified as a key metabolite linked to gut microbes.

Abstract

The hub metabolites and hub microorganisms that play an important role in the intervention of Qi-yin deficiency syndrome with diarrhea by Modified Renshen Wumei Decoction (MRWD) are still unclear. Therefore, we explored it based on multi-omics analysis. A total of 32 Sprague-Dawley rats were collected and randomly allocated into different groups. Subsequently, blood samples and fecal samples were collected from all 32 rats for non-targeted metabolome sequencing and 16S rRNA gene sequencing respectively. Among them, fecal samples of 24 rats were also used for targeted metabolomics sequencing (6 rats in each group). Pathological findings, and D-lactate, diamine oxidase (DAO), aquaporin 3 (AQP3), and aquaporin 8 (AQP8) levels in serum and colon samples were evaluated after the 21-day trial, and the results showed that diarrhea caused intestinal injury, which was ameliorated by infusion of MRWD. Based on multi-omics sequencing analysis, five microorganisms were superior to the positive control in MRWD intervention. Moreover, Eisenbergiella, Corynebacterium, and unidentified Oscillospiraceae exhibited significant discriminatory capabilities between groups C and D, groups B and C, as well as groups A and C; thus they were identified as hub microorganisms. On the other hand, significant differences in metabolites were observed among different groups with respect to the metabolome. These metabolites exhibited significant enrichment in metabolic pathways such as Butanoate metabolism, Propanoate metabolism, and Pyruvate metabolism. Further correlation analysis revealed that 2-Methylbutyrate was identified as a hub metabolites associated with blood and fecal microorganisms. Moreover, there were complex regulatory relationships between these hub microbes and hub metabolites.

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