AUTHOR=Wang Qi , Wang Pengjiao , Yuan Minyan , Zhang Min , Zhang Shuo , Sun Xiaodong , Shang Leyuan , Liu Yujie , Zhao Yanni , Jiang Nan , Gao Xiuli 

TITLE=Efficacy and mechanism of Baicao Fuyanqing suppository on mixed vaginitis based on 16S rRNA and metabolomics

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1166366

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2023.1166366

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>Mixed vaginitis is the infection of the vagina by at least two different pathogens at the same time, both of which contribute to an abnormal vaginal environment leading to signs and symptoms. <italic>Baicao Fuyanqing suppository</italic> (<italic>BCFYQ</italic>) is a Miao ethnomedicine, used to treat various vaginitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and possible mechanism of <italic>BCFYQ</italic> in the treatment of mixed vaginitis based on 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and metabonomics.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p><italic>Escherichia coli</italic> and <italic>Candida albicans</italic> were used to establish mixed vaginitis model in SD rats. Three groups of low, medium and high doses (0.18/0.36/0.64 g.kg<sup>-1</sup>) were established, and administered vaginally once a day for 6 consecutive days. After the last administration, vaginal pH and IL-1β, IL-2, IL-13 and IgA levels were measured, and the vaginal tissue was examined pathologically. In addition, the vaginal flora was characterised by 16S rRNA, and endogenous metabolites in the vaginal tissue were detected by UHPLC-Q-Exactive MS.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Compared with the model group, <italic>BCFYQ</italic> can reduce the vaginal pH of rats, make it close to the normal group and improve the damaged vaginal epithelial tissue. The results of ELISA showed that <italic>BCFYQ</italic> decreased the levels of IL-1 β and IL-2 and increased the levels of IL-13 and IgA (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.05). In addition, <italic>BCFYQ</italic> may increase the abundance of vaginal flora, especially <italic>Lactobacillus</italic>. The differential metabolite enrichment pathway suggests that the therapeutic mechanism of <italic>BCFYQ</italic> is mainly related to lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Our research shows that <italic>BCFYQ</italic> has a good therapeutic effect on mixed vaginitis. It repairs the damaged vaginal mucosa by regulating the vaginal flora and lipid metabolism disorders to improve the local immune function of the vagina and inhibit the growth and reproduction of pathogens.</p></sec>