Modulation of gut microbiota and intestinal barrier function during alleviation of antibiotic-associated diarrhea with Rhizoma Zingiber officinale (ginger) extract

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), which mediated by antibiotic therapy, has get a significant increase of prevalence in recent years. Previous researches have suggested that ginger, a common spice and herbal medicine, can modulate the composition of gut microbiota and beneficial for gastrointestinal disease. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of fresh ginger on AAD in a rat model, and the gut microbiota was studied. We found that fresh ginger positively affected the microbial environment in the gut of rats with AAD, and it could attenuate intestinal inflammation and improve the integrity of intestinal barrier. Our study showed that ginger is a beneficial food as well as an herbal medicine for the prevention/treatment of AAD.