Herbal medicines (HMs) are much appreciated for their significant contribution to human survival and reproduction by remedial and prophylactic management of diseases. Defining the scientific basis of HMs will substantiate their value and promote their modernization. Ever‐increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota plays a crucial role in HM therapy by complicated interplay with HM components. This interplay includes such activities as: gut microbiota biotransforming HM chemicals into metabolites that harbor different bioavailability and bioactivity/toxicity from their precursors; HM chemicals improving the composition of gut microbiota, consequently ameliorating its dysfunction as well as associated pathological conditions; and gut microbiota mediating the interactions (synergistic and antagonistic) between the multiple chemicals in HMs. More advanced experimental designs are recommended for future study, such as overall chemical characterization of gut microbiota‐metabolized HMs, direct microbial analysis of HM‐targeted gut microbiota, and precise gut microbiota research model development. The outcomes of such research can further elucidate the interactions between HMs and gut microbiota, thereby opening a new window for defining the scientific basis of HMs and for guiding HM‐based drug discovery.

中文翻译：

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了解草药与肠道菌群相互作用的分子机制

草药（HMs）因其通过疾病的预防和预防管理对人类生存和繁殖的重大贡献而倍受赞赏。定义HM的科学基础将证实其价值并促进其现代化。越来越多的证据表明，肠道菌群通过与HM成分的复杂相互作用在HM治疗中起着至关重要的作用。这种相互作用包括以下活动：肠道菌群将HM化学物质生物转化为代谢产物，这些代谢产物具有与其前体不同的生物利用度和生物活性/毒性；HM化学品可改善肠道菌群的组成，从而改善其功能障碍以及相关的病理状况；肠道菌群介导HMs中多种化学物质之间的相互作用（协同和拮抗）。建议将更高级的实验设计用于将来的研究，例如肠道微生物群代谢的HM的整体化学表征，针对HM靶向的肠道微生物群的直接微生物分析以及精确的肠道微生物群研究模型的开发。此类研究的结果可以进一步阐明HM与肠道菌群之间的相互作用，从而为定义HM的科学基础并指导基于HM的药物发现打开新的窗口。