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Holobiome & Viome - "Microbiomes Intimate Role in Every Human Disease”

May

9

In a May 07, 2020 Science Magazine article, Holobiome announced it seeks to produce new treatments for depression and other disorders of the brain and nervous system beginning with isolating and culturing bacteria to benefit humans through our gut microbiome. The focus of the startup will be psychobiotics, those that address brain - related ailments, says company CEO, Phil Strandwitz. It seems the creation of startups like these are a sign of the times.

In an early interview by Herbsprout writer Chris Kenji Beer, Viome's CEO Naveen Jain takes us into a deeper understanding of the role of microbiomes to our health. “Every single chronic disease that we know of -- from Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, autism, depression, anxiety, obesity, autoimmune diseases, cancer-- every single one of these diseases have one thing in common, chronic inflammation. Every one of them is caused by microbiome. Think about this. Every one of these diseases is caused by microbiomes. And every time we take antibiotics we are killing those microbiomes.”
“A lot of people are saying ‘I know about microbiomes, what is so unique about it?’ The change is we not only know what is inside our gut, we are able to know exactly what they are doing.”

THE RNA - TRANSCRIPTOME TESTING

How do we know? “The latest wave (of Microbiome testing) is transcriptome. The transcriptome testing approach looks at the RNA and analyzes what the RNA of microbiomes are doing. The popular ‘16S sequencing’ of microbiomes testing is a twenty year old technology and is not able to do this.”
“What if you can find out exactly what is going on (inside the RNA of microbiomes)? What if you know what vitamins they are producing? What if you knew which specific compounds they are producing that cause inflammation? And from this data, what if you were able to figure out which specific content and combinations of food can actually address these inflammations more effectively than any prescription drugs we have available today?” asserts Jain.

Given the lag in treatments particularly for mental health treatments, Holobiome proposes to source and find microbe -based solutions to these ailments, or "psychobiotics". What if Holobiome and Viome are at the beginning of a new trend in health care where startups like Holobiome are among hundreds of companies focused on finding and deploying microbe- based solutions, gut bacteria treatments for different human diseases?

See article on Holobiome, https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/meet-psychobiome-gut-bacteria-may-alter-how-you-think-feel-and-act ; and Viome http://Viome.com .

#ai #bacteria #datascience #diet #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #mentalhealth #plantnutrition #probiotics #psychobiotics

Gut bacteria strains found to prevent onset of Parkinson's

Apr

12

Parkinson’s News Today reported on April 08, 2020 that several strains of a bacteria Bacillus subtilis "inhibits, delays, and reverses" the buildup of the protein alpha-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease patients. The study, “Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Protects against α-Synuclein Aggregation in C. elegans,” was originally published in the journal Cell Reports. The building up of the protein alpha-synuclein, or Lewy bodies, is known to create the degeneration of brain cells in Parkinson’s disease (see source: https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2020/04/10/probiotic-strain-of-b-subtilis-halts-alpha-synuclein-aggregation-in-round-worms/ ).

Last September. Herbsprout reported that scientists found evidence that Parkinson's disease may originate in the gut. Building on that discovery, scientists found the strains of gut microbes that may prevent Parkinson's, each finding building on the next.

It is not yet conclusive whether or not the a-synuclein build up occurs first in our gut, and before or after it reaches the brain. This study was tested in round worms, and is proven as a preventive measure. It is not able to treat Parkinson's disease but prevent it's growth. While further studies are required , it poses the possibility of a preventive dietary supplement, according to scientists involved in this study (see article https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/home).

Other articles by Herbsprout include microbial treatments for Parkinson's, https://en.bloguru.com/healthtech/360989/microbial-treatments-for-parkinsons ; and Parkinson's disease may originate in the gut, https://en.bloguru.com/healthtech/357162/parkinsons-may-originate-in-the-gut .

#ai #bacteria #datascience #diet #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #mentalhealth #plantnutrition #probiotics #psychobiotics

Skin, our body's largest organ shows bidirectional relationship between gut and skin

Apr

4

source: vectorstock.com

As pointed out by a January 2020 article by Amy Myers MD, "your skin is the largest organ in your body, your first defense against the outside world." Since we know that 70 to 80% of your immune system is located in your gut, there must be a connection between the gut and skin, right? Researchers in fact have found such connections. Dr. Myers begins backing this assertion by saying that our gut's 300 to 500 species defend our body against pathogens as do the healthy bacteria covering our skin. Both our gut and skin need to be covered in beneficial bacteria when in a healthy state (see https://www.amymyersmd.com/2019/02/gut-skin-connection/ ).

Researchers found evidence that Dr. Myers assertions are in fact true. They demonstrate an intimate, bidirectional connection between the gut and skin, gastrointestinal (GI) health to skin, according to an NIH report.

This includes microbiome’s contribution to three common skin disorders – acne, atopic dermatitis (AD), and psoriasis, and probiotic supplementation as a therapeutic remedies.

The study found that short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), products of dietary fibers fermented by components of the gut microbiome, demonstrate a protective role against the development of inflammatory disorders including arthritis and allergies.

"SCFAs resulting from fiber fermentation in the gut – propionate, acetate, and butyrate – are believed to play a pivotal role in determining the predominance of certain skin microbiomic profiles." Propionibacterium, for example, is a genus capable of producing SCFAs, predominantly acetate and propionic acid are one of a number of gut microbes that influence our immune defense system.

Another study found that lactobacillus brevis in rats resulted in decreased cutaneous arterial sympathetic nerve. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6048199/ ).

#acne #ai #bacteria #datascience #diet #eczema #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #plantnutrition #probiotics #skinhealth #spices

Facts behind health remedies of Cannabis- DeepCell Industries CEO Kelly Ogilvie

Mar

15

How Cannabis saved his sister and inspired Ogilvie's deep dive into "non-intoxicating cannabis R&D, product dev. Deepcell success now hinges b2b technology licensing to food products industry.

Herbsprout.com discusses the state of the Cannabis industry with DeepCell Industries CEO Kelly Ogilvie. He invites us to look behind the curtain and learn about the science behind Cannabis as a health remedy, and what's in store for the industry's future. -- blogger and podcaster Chris Kenji Beer

#CBD #THC #ai #artificialintelligence #bacteria #cannabis #datascience #diet #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #machinelearning #marijuana #mindbody #plantnutrition #spices

Links between gut health and mania/ bi-polar disorder

Feb

16

A September 04, 2019 article in the New Scientist suggests that eating a proper amount of psychobiotics, a derivation of probiotics, can improve one's mental health. (see
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24332460-500-how-what-you-eat-directly-influences-your-mental-health/ ). Probiotics may help improve a variety of mental health conditions, in part due to an anti-inflammatory effect, including those suffering from manic depression and bi-polar (BP) disorders. Psychobiotics are believed to mitigate chemical imbalance in the brain, and offer an alternative to drug treatment, claims the article.

Lithium has become the most accepted remedy used for treating BP. Studies such as the 2020 Neuropsychobiology report have found little connection between lithium intake and Escherichia coli or Lactobacillus rhamnosus, except that it appears to support a stronger richness and diversity of these species. However, they found a noticeable increase in Clostridium, Peptoclostridium, Intestinibacter, and Christenellaceae following lithium treatment (see https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/504496 ). These results suggest a connection between our gut microbiota and BP treatment using lithium.

SAMPLE HUMAN TRIALS:

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine did a study to determine if probiotics could help recently discharged manic patients, according to a Harvard Health Publishing blog of June 25, 2018. Two groups of 33 patients were given Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species to one group and a placebo to the second group over a 24 week period.

The results for the rates of rehospitalization were 51.1% in the placebo group and 24.2% in the group who took probiotics. On average, the reduction in readmission was 74% lower in the probiotic group, and a 90% reduction of hospitalization in the group with the highest inflammation score. Additionally, patients who took probiotics and were rehospitalized stayed in the hospital on average 2.8 days, compared with 8.3 days for those taking placebo.

A Nature article in February 2019 referenced human trials that found connections between coprococcus and dialister bacteria, with lower levels contributing to mental health issues and specifically depression (see article, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-018-0337-x ).

While tests on mice are less reliable than human trials, they can effectively make connections between similar human functions. For example, The Scientist article reported that study coauthor Julio Licinio, a psychiatrist at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse made fecal transplants of schizophrenic mice that verified lower glutamate, glutamine, and GABA in their hippocampi. These are key amino acid neurotransmitters that are essential for brain function (see https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/gut-microbes-may-play-a-role-in-mental-health-disorders-66039/amp ).

What scientists can say with some accuracy is that there is a link between our gut bacteria and mental health. One step further, they've identified specific species of bacteria, keystone species such as bifidobacteria and lesser known species such as coprococcus and dialister bacteria. The next steps will be to prove efficacy and FDA approval as a form of treatment in mental health patients. When this might be achieved is still to be determined, but scientists are getting closer.

#ai #bacteria #datascience #diet #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #mentalhealth #plantnutrition #probiotics #psychobiotics #spices

Microbial strain gives Japanese Sushi-eating advantage

Jan

18

Japanese consume large amounts of raw fish and seaweed, in the form of sushi and nori. It is healthy for them partly due to a partnership with a seafaring bacteria friend found in their gut. Japanese gut bacteria aren’t just limited to the genes that they inherit from their ancestors. Bacteria native to the natural world can be introduced to our gut. Once ingested, individual bacteria can swap genes quite easily, both internal gut bacteria and externally introduced bacteria. This ‘horizontal gene transfer’ means that bacteria have an entire kingdom of genes, ripe for exchange. In the world’s oceans – a marine bacterium called Zobellia galactanivorans was introduced to the Japanese gut through consuming seaweed.

Zobellia is a seaweed-eater. It lives on, and digests, several species including those used to make nori. Nori, or seaweed, is commonly used in Japanese meals, in miso soup, sushi wrapping, for example. When you consume these algae with sushi and miso, marine bacteria is also consumed, and Zobellia is consumed. Zobellia mingles with our existing gut microbiota, "including those that allow them to break down the carbohydrates of their marine meals", according to research by the University of Victoria. The gut bacteria suddenly gained the ability to exploit an extra source of energy and those that retained their genetic loans prospered. This process is known as horizontal gene transfer. Six strains of of the human gut Bacteroides plebeius had been discovered that possess an unique gene from the aforementioned porphyran-breaking enzyme, all of them coming from the bowels of Japanese people.

See article for more information, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/phenomena/2010/04/07/gut-bacteria-in-japanese-people-borrowed-sushi-digesting-genes-from-ocean-bacteria/

#ai #bacteria #datascience #diet #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #plantnutrition #spices

Honeysuckle - Chinese remedy for common cold and more

Jan

7

The leaves and flower of honeysuckle have been used for several thousand years as a traditional Chinese medicine. It has been a challenge to discriminate between the variations of honeysuckle herbs, such as Lonicerae japonicae flos and Lonicera japonica thunb, according to a report published September 23, 2019 (see reference below). The leaves and dried flower buds of Lonicera japonica Thunb, also called Japanese honeysuckle or jīn yín huā has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat flu- like symptoms such as cough, fever, sore throat, and influenza infection. Tests have shown that Lonicerae japonicae flos exhibits a broader antimicrobial spectrum, more powerful antibacterial activity, and inhibition of drug-resistant bacteria. Pharmacologic studies have confirmed the bacteria and antibacterial effects of Lonicerae japonicae flos, says the study.

The following can be extracted from Lonicerae japonicae flos - water extract, alcohol extract, polysaccharide, and volatile oil. These ingredients can "extensively inhibit Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria including Streptococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Typhi, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella paratyphi, Vibrio cholerae, oral pathogens, Diplococcus intracellularis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis," according to a study by the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (see article "Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Lonicerae Flos: A Systematic Pharmacology Review", by Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Dongzhimen Nei Nanxiao Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100700, China; Department of Drug and Cosmetics Registration, China Food and Drug Administration, Xuanwumen Xidajie, Beijing 100053, China; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4519546/).

The testing method used for determining the content of a key active ingredient, secologanic acid, was established using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) (see article, "A Simple, Rapid, and Practical Method for Distinguishing Lonicerae Japonicae Flos from Lonicerae Flos"; by Fang Zhang, Pengliang Shi, Hongyan Liu, Yongqing Zhang 1,Xiao Yu, Jing Li and Gaobin Pu; College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese medicine, Jinan 250355, China). Using HPLC makes it simple, fast, accurate, and cost effective to identify the different variations of Lonicerae Flos.

#ai #artificialintelligence #bacteria #chinesemedicine #datascience #diet #easternmedicine #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #machinelearning #mindbody #naturopathichealth #plantnutrition #spices

A little history on the origins of Ayurveda

Jan

3

Dr. Vivek Shanbhag of Bastyr University explains that between 1,000 to 700 B.C. Ashrams gathered people together in India to discuss topics of the day such as health issues. Attendees of these open forums facilitated exchange of acquired knowledge; for example, about herbs and foods that help with certain health conditions. Out of these Ashrams evolved two main schools relating to health care, Atreya and Dhanvantari. Atreya became the school of physicians and Dhanvantari, the school of surgeons. Traditions such as chanting of mantras were gradually replaced by scientific thinking and solutions.

Veda means acquired knowledge and data research, which accumulated over thousands of years in India from the general Ashram meetings, according to Bastyr University's Professor of Ayurvedic Health Dr. Vivek Shanbhag.

The original text of Ayurveda are the trio - Charak Sambita, Sushrat Sambita, and Ashtang Hridaya Sambita.

Ayurveda achieved by pursuing these Four Goals of Life:

1. DHARMA - vocation, your calling, reaching your inner object of life
2. ARTHA - creating your resources, prosperity, attainment of outer objects, right possessionsof life
3. KAMA - enjoyment, achieving, fulfilling basic desires, emotional mind
4. MOKSHA - total freedom, not attached to anything, liberation from the limits of the other goals; infinite possibilities

Source: Dr. Vivek Shanbhag, Bastyr University, Ayurvedic Health Advisor Program, Kenmore, WA.

#India #ai #artificialintelligence #ayurveda #bacteria #datascience #diet #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #machinelearning #mindbody #plantnutrition #spices

Indian Ayurvedic Health defined

Dec

30

Ayurveda is an over 3,000 year old health program originating in India. Ayurveda begins with fundamental principles centered around maintaining good health. These are described in the three doshas - Vata, Pitta, Kapha and the 4 goals of Ayurveda. I will explain the 4 goals in the next blog entry to be published in a few days.

Veda means acquired knowledge and data research, which accumulated over thousands of years in India from general meetings called Ashrams, according to Bastyr University's Professor of Ayurvedic Health Dr. Vivek Shanbhag.

Possibly the most effective way to accurately and clearly explain the three doshas of Ayurveda are Dr. Shanbhag's association of Ayurveda to computing. Ayurveda is your tools and means to achieve your four goals of life. He describes the three doshas as follows:

VATA is like data entry.
PITTA is the processing of that data.
KAPHA is the storing and recall of the data.

VATA is the sensory intake, communications and transport of data and the elements, air and ether.
PITTA is the transformation, digesting, processing and metabolizing of the data and the elements, fire and water.
KAPHA is the storing, growth, and memorizing of the data and the elements; water and earth.

Everyone wants to increase happiness and comfort.
Everyone wants to decrease their pain and suffering. The status of our health is a key contributor to these basic life goals.

#India #ai #artificialintelligence #ayurveda #bacteria #datascience #diet #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #machinelearning #mindbody #neurotransmitters #plantnutrition #sertonin #spices #thehappychemical

Black mondo grass, monkey grass support microbiome gut health and antiobesity

Dec

17

Ophiopogon is an ornamental grass native to China, India, Japan, and Vietnam.
Ophiopogon japonicus is better known as dwarf lilyturf, mondograss, fountainplant, and monkeygrass; or in Japanese: リュウノヒゲ ryu-no-hige ("dragon's beard") or ジャノヒゲ ja-no-hige ("snake's beard") (source: see Wikipedia).

In traditional Chinese medicine Ophiopogon japonicus' tuber root, is the key herb for yin deficiency. According to the "Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica," the tuber part of the root of Ophiopogon japonicus enters the heart, lung, and stomach channels and nourishes the yin of the stomach, spleen, heart, and lungs and eases irritability. The herb is sweet, slightly bitter and slightly cold. The herb in Chinese medicine is known as mai men dong (Chinese: 麥門冬).

Now there is science to back up these claims, according to a February 2019 Chinese Pharmaceuticals University report. MDG-1, a water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from the root of Ophiopogon japonicus Ker Gawl has been reported to regulate body metabolism, including weight loss, antiobesity, and antidiabetes. Professor L. Shi demonstrated that, in HFD-induced obese mice that were treated with "MDG-1 at a high dose of 300 mg/kg for 12 weeks, the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) decreased to normal levels." In addition, it was found that in HFD-induced diabetic mice, MDG-1 decreased the number of pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli and Streptococcus) (Source: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Department of Basic Medicine, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, China).

See full report, https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2019/2682748/
Contact Qinglong Guo; qinglongguo@hotmail.com and Na Lu; nalu@cpu.edu.cn

#ai #bacteria #datascience #diet #gutmicrobiome #health #healthinnovation #healthtech #herbalmedicine #herbs #plantnutrition #spices

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Holobiome & Viome - "Microbiomes Intimate Role in Every Human Disease”

Gut bacteria strains found to prevent onset of Parkinson's

Skin, our body's largest organ shows bidirectional relationship between gut and skin

Facts behind health remedies of Cannabis- DeepCell Industries CEO Kelly Ogilvie

Links between gut health and mania/ bi-polar disorder

Microbial strain gives Japanese Sushi-eating advantage

Honeysuckle - Chinese remedy for common cold and more

A little history on the origins of Ayurveda

Indian Ayurvedic Health defined

Black mondo grass, monkey grass support microbiome gut health and antiobesity

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