Frontiers in microbiology
Polysaccharides from Er Chen Decoction: gastrointestinal fate, gut microbiota modulation and metabolomics
By Liu YJ, Wang ZK, Yue LT and 5 others.
Abstract
Background
Er Chen Decoction (ECD), a classical formula for phlegm-related disorders, contains polysaccharides (PECD) as an important bioactive fraction. This study systematically assessed their gastrointestinal absorption, digestive stability, fecal fermentation, and correlations with gut microbiota and metabolic changes.
Methods
In vivo gastrointestinal absorption of PECD were evaluated using fluorescence tracing of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled polysaccharides. The stability of PECD during simulated oral, gastric, and intestinal digestion was assessed by determining total/reducing sugar contents, molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide composition, and Fourier transform infrared spectra. Subsequently, in vitro fecal fermentation of PECD was evaluated by pH, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and untargeted metabolomics.
