Jiang JG, Luo Q, Li SS, Tan TY, Xiong K, Yang T, Xiao TB. Cinnamic acid regulates the intestinal microbiome and short-chain fatty acids to treat slow transit constipation. World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther 2023; 14(2): 4-21 [PMID: 36911598 DOI: 10.4292/wjgpt.v14.i2.4]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Tian-Bao Xiao, MD, Doctor, Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 71 Baoshan North Road, Guiyang 550000, Guizhou Province, China. prof_xiaotianbao@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Basic Study
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther. Mar 5, 2023; 14(2): 4-21 Published online Mar 5, 2023. doi: 10.4292/wjgpt.v14.i2.4
Cinnamic acid regulates the intestinal microbiome and short-chain fatty acids to treat slow transit constipation
Jin-Guang Jiang, Qian Luo, Shuang-Shuang Li, Tian-Ying Tan, Kai Xiong, Tao Yang, Tian-Bao Xiao
Jin-Guang Jiang, Qian Luo, Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, Suqian Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Suqian 223800, Jiangsu Province, China
Shuang-Shuang Li, Tian-Ying Tan, Kai Xiong, College of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550000, Guizhou Province, China
Tao Yang, Tian-Bao Xiao, Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550000, Guizhou Province, China
Author contributions: Jiang JG and Luo Q conceived the project and wrote the manuscript; Luo Q performed the central part of the experiments and analyzed data, with contributions from Li SS, Tan TY, and Xiong K; Yang T and Xiao TB participated in the experimental design and manuscript draft preparation and revision; All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported bythe "333 Scientific Project" of Jiangsu Province in 2020, No. BRA2020237; and the Science and Technology Project of Suqian, Jiangsu Province in 2020, No. Z2020057.
Institutional animal care and use committee statement: All animal procedures were conducted in accordance with guidelines for laboratory animal care after approval by the Ethics Committee of Suqian Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors of this manuscript state that they do not have any conflict of interests, and there is nothing to disclose.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
ARRIVE guidelines statement: The authors have read the ARRIVE guidelines, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the ARRIVE guidelines.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Tian-Bao Xiao, MD, Doctor, Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 71 Baoshan North Road, Guiyang 550000, Guizhou Province, China. prof_xiaotianbao@163.com
Received: October 15, 2022 Peer-review started: October 15, 2022 First decision: January 3, 2023 Revised: January 10, 2023 Accepted: February 21, 2023 Article in press: February 21, 2023 Published online: March 5, 2023 Processing time: 139 Days and 2.6 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background
Slow transit constipation (STC) is a disorder with delayed colonic transit. Cinnamic acid (CA) is an organic acid in natural plants with low toxicity and biological activities to modulate the intestinal microbiome.
Research motivation
We found CA to be very effective in treating STC.
Research objectives
We intend to explore the potential effects of CA on the intestinal microbiome and the primary endogenous metabolites.
Research methods
Loperamide was applied to induce STC in mice. The treatment effects of CA on STC mice were assessed from the 24 h defecations, fecal moisture and intestinal transit rate. We used the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Hematoxylin-eosin and Alcian blue and Periodic acid Schiff staining, 16S rDNA and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to explore the potential effects of CA on the intestinal microbiome and the primary endogenous metabolites-short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and evaluate the therapeutic effects of CA in STC.
Research results
CA ameliorated the symptoms and the pathology of STC and treated STC effectively. CA significantly increased the concentration of 5-HT and reduced VIP. CA significantly improved the diversity and abundance of the beneficial microbiome. The production of SCFAs (including acetic acid, butyric acid, propionic acid and valeric acid) was significantly promoted by CA.
Research conclusions
CA could treat STC effectively by ameliorating the composition and abundance of the intestinal microbiome to regulate the production of SCFAs.
Research perspectives
CA is effective in treating STC mice, and further studies are needed to better advance its clinical application.
