Intestinal Protective Effects of Herbal-Based Formulations in Rats against Neomycin Insult

Disturbance in the gut microbial niche by antibiotics like neomycin produces gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Here, we evaluated the impact of a mixture of extracts of three herbs (Atractylodis Rhizoma Macrocephalae, Massa Medicata Fermentata, and Dolichoris Semen) with known GI protective activities, either laboratory unfermented (herbal formulation-1 (HF-1)) or fermented/re-fermented (herbal formulation-2 (HF-2)) on neomycin-treated rats using a commercial Lactobacillus probiotic as a reference. Treatment with neomycin augmented stool water content, decreased fecal population of Lactobacillus spp., changed the histology of intestine without inducing inflammation, reduced the colonic expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and claudin-1, and elevated the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels. Coadministration of either HF-2 or probiotic, but not HF-1, restored the fecal content of Lactobacillus spp., normalized the serum CRP level, and significantly increased the colonic expression of ZO-1 and claudin-1 in neomycin-treated rats. The combined treatment with any of the above agents ameliorated the histological changes of cecum and colon in neomycin-treated rats, and the magnitude of this effect was probiotic > HF-2 > HF-1. Our study revealed the intestinal protective effect of a mixture of three herbs against neomycin insult, which is mediated through multiple mechanisms and is potentiated upon prior fermentation/refermentation of the herbs.