HERBAL preparation of myrrh, chamomile extract and coffee charcoal have been shown to stimulate short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production and enrichment of SCFA producing bacteria in individuals with diarrhoea dominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) according to a new German study.
Herbal Preparation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Prior reports have indicated the effectiveness of certain herbal preparations on ulcerative colitis. Given that recent views suggest overlap between irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal diseases, this treatment may also benefit patients with IBS-D.
Endogenous colonic microbiota can be cultured that mimic the luminal and mucosal intestinal environment using the in vitro gut model The Mucosal Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Environment (M-SHIME®). The effects of the herbal preparation i.e. changes in microbial metabolite production and microbial community composition can then be determined using M-SHIME® which hasn’t previously been shown before.
This study used proximal (PC) and distil colon (DC) compartments and faecal samples from four IBS-D donors with M-SHIME® to determine the effects of the herbal preparation. This preparation was repeatedly administered across an eight-day period against a negative control. Researchers then investigated the changes in microbial metabolism and community composition. In addition to this, a Caco-2/THP-1 co-culture model was used to assess colonic ferments effects on intestinal barrier permeability and cytokine production.
Benefits of Herbal Preparation
Increased gas pressure indicating microbial fermentative activity was significantly increased with herbal treatment against the negative control. There was a significant increase in the levels of proximal SCFAs acetate (d3, d5), propionate (d3), and butyrate (d5, d8) levels (p<0.05 for all).
Treatment with the herbal preparation also significantly increased ammonium levels in the PC (d3, d5, d8; p<0.05) and distil (d8; p<0.01) compartment.
Colonic ferments that were treated with the herbal preparation had protective effects on intestinal membrane integrity (DC; p<0.001) and positive immunomodulatory effects (increased IL-10, PC and DC; both p<0.0001, and IL-6, PC; p < 0.001 and DC; p < 0.01) in Caco-2/THP-1 co-cultures.
Conclusions
This novel study showed that the administration of the herbal combination myrrh, chamomile extract and coffee charcoal resulted in increased levels of SCFA production and the enrichment of bacterial families that produce SCFA in M-SHIME®.
Furthermore, colonic ferments that were treated with this herbal preparation had a protective effect on barrier disruption and in co-culture models of intestinal inflammation, an anti-inflammatory response was induced.
Overall, the in vitro gut model M-SHIME® showed that the herbal preparation of myrrh, chamomile extract and coffee charcoal could have benefits for patients with IBS-D. Additionally, given that there is potential overlap with irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders, this herbal preparation may have multiple use-cases.
Researchers called for more studies to be undertaken, looking at the specific metabolites involved to better understand the effects of the herbal preparation on patients with IBS-D.
Reference
Wonnemann M et al. Repeated dosing of myrrh, chamomile extract, and coffee charcoal reveals potential health-beneficial effects in patients with irritable bowel syndrome in the M-SHIME simulator. PLoS One. 2026;21(5):e0348791.
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