Establishment of model and standard operation procedure for biotransformation of chemical constituents of traditional Chinese medicine by human intestinal bacteria

OBJECTIVE: To establish human intestinal bacteria biotransformation model and the standard operation procedure for studying and assessing intestinal biotransformation of chemical constituents of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). METHOD: The chemical constituent of TCM was incubated together with human intestinal flora or isolated strain, or their secretory enzymes at anaerobic environment and 37 degrees C. The biotransformation products were extracted by solvent extraction methods, separated by column chromatographic methods, and identified by spectroscopic analysis. The biotransformation mechanisms would be deduced by comparison of structural characteristics of the biotransformation products and the parent drug and/or compound, as well as the enzyme(s)-catalysed bioreactions. RESULT: The established biotransformation model of human intestinal bacteria is facile for operation and has the capability of converting the chemical constituent of traditional Chinese medicine. The growing cells transformation method, the resting cells transformation method or enzyme(s)-catalysed transformation method can all be selected as the transformation approach. CONCLUSION: The established human intestinal bacteria biotransformation model can be used to study the intestinal biotransformation of orally administrated chemical constituents of TCM and their biotransformation mechanism.