A critical review on the relationship of herbal medicine, Akkermansia muciniphila, and human health

Abstract

There are trillions and trillions of microorganisms in the human gut, and these microorganisms and their metabolites are closely related to human health. Recent studies have found that the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila is decreased in many diseases. Supplementation of A. muciniphila is used to treat many diseases, suggesting it as a probiotic. Herbal medicines are considered as valuable asset of traditional Chinese medicine. Recent studies have revealed traditional Chinese medicine as a potential prebiotic agent for the treatment of many diseases. Hence, in this review, we aimed to provide a plausible mechanistic basis for the interactions between herbal medicines and A. muciniphila, and therapeutic benefits on this interaction in various illnesses.

Keywords: Akkermansia. muciniphila; Cardiovascular diseases; Gut microbiota; Herbal medicine; Intestinal diseases; Liver diseases; Neuropsychiatric diseases; Prebiotics; Type 2 diabetes mellitus.