Effects of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. on intestinal flora in rats with spleen deficiency and damp-heat.

The effects of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. (S. baicalensis Georgi.) on the diversity of intestinal flora in rats with spleen deficiency and damp-heat was explored in the present study. 51 compounds in S. baicalensis Georgi. extract, including 37 flavonoids, 9 dihydroflavone, and 5 flavanols, were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-Q-Orbitrap-mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS). Ethanol extract from Scutellariae Radix and fresh feces from rats with spleen deficiency and damp-heat were incubated in vitro for 48 h. At the phylum level, the ethanol extract noticeably increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes in the feces and effectively reduced those of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. At the genus level, the extract increased the relative abundance of the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and reduced those of pathogenic bacteria, including Clostridium, Escherichia, Enterococcus, and Streptococcus. The results suggest that S. baicalensis Georgi. can regulate the structure and diversity of intestinal flora in rats with spleen deficiency and damp-heat and balance the body's metabolism.