Biotransformation differences of ginsenoside compound K mediated by the gut microbiota from diabetic patients and healthy subjects

Sutianzi Huang; Li Shao; Manyun Chen; Lin Wang; Jing Liu; Wei Zhang; Weihua Huang

doi:10.1016/S1875-5364(23)60402-9

Biotransformation differences of ginsenoside compound K mediated by the gut microbiota from diabetic patients and healthy subjects

Chin J Nat Med. 2023 Oct;21(10):723-729. doi: 10.1016/S1875-5364(23)60402-9.

Authors

Sutianzi Huang¹, Li Shao², Manyun Chen³, Lin Wang³, Jing Liu³, Wei Zhang⁴, Weihua Huang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China; The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China.
² Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha 410128, China.
³ Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China.
⁴ Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China; The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China. Electronic address: csuzhangwei@csu.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China; The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China. Electronic address: endeavor34852@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37879791
DOI: 10.1016/S1875-5364(23)60402-9

Abstract

Many natural products can be bio-converted by the gut microbiota to influence pertinent efficiency. Ginsenoside compound K (GCK) is a potential anti-type 2 diabetes (T2D) saponin, which is mainly bio-transformed into protopanaxadiol (PPD) by the gut microbiota. Studies have shown that the gut microbiota between diabetic patients and healthy subjects are significantly different. Herein, we aimed to characterize the biotransformation of GCK mediated by the gut microbiota from diabetic patients and healthy subjects. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the results indicated the bacterial profiles were considerably different between the two groups, especially Alistipes and Parabacteroides that increased in healthy subjects. The quantitative analysis of GCK and PPD showed that gut microbiota from the diabetic patients metabolized GCK slower than healthy subjects through liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The selected strain A. finegoldii and P. merdae exhibited a different metabolic capability of GCK. In conclusion, the different biotransformation capacity for GCK may impact its anti-diabetic potency.

Keywords: Biotransformation; Diabetes; Ginsenoside compound K; Gut microbiota.

MeSH terms

Biotransformation
Chromatography, Liquid / methods
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / drug therapy
Feces / microbiology
Gastrointestinal Microbiome* / genetics
Healthy Volunteers
Humans
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

ginsenoside M1
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S