RP-HPLC quantification and separation of isomeric bacosides and exploration of their anti-schizophrenic potential by network pharmacology.

The human gut microbiome, comprising trillions of microbial symbionts, is essential for maintaining systemic physiological homeostasis (). However, contrasting patterns underscore the plasticity of the human gut microbiome in response to lifestyle and environmental shifts, leading to marked alterations in gut microbial composition (). These transformations have raised significant concerns regarding their long-term impact on human health, particularly given the global rise in non-communicable diseases and autoimmune conditions (; ; ). In contrast, non-industrial societies, characterized by fiber-rich diets, physical exertion, and subsistence-based living, exhibit gut microbiota architectures markedly divergent from their industrialized counterpart. These configurations reflect not only dietary inputs but also sustained exposure to environmental microbiota, ethnobotanical practices, and co-evolved ecological symbioses (; ; ; ). Such populations often retain distinct gut microbial compositions, offering valuable insights into host-microbiome interactions and their associations with health and disease (, ). Indian tribal populations remain underrepresented in global microbiome research, despite their potential to harbour gut microbial communities that retain characteristics associated with traditional, less-industrialized lifestyles and limited exposure to antibiotics, processed foods, and urban pollutants (; ; ). Investigating gut microbiome variation across lifestyle–ecological gradients in these groups is key to understanding the microbial impacts of modernization (). Most Indian microbiome studies have relied on 16S rRNA sequencing, limiting taxonomic and functional insights, particularly among tribal populations (; ). Moreover, genetic studies indicate that tribal groups sharing geographic proximity tend to have similar genetic configuration over ethno-linguistic backgrounds () that may exhibit the shape of similar gut microbial abundance (). Microbiome composition in Indian tribes is shaped not only by diet and environment but also by host genetics, ethno-linguistic diversity, and traditional cultural practices (). A multidisciplinary approach integrating microbiomics with ethnographic and ecological data is crucial to understand the impact of lifestyle transitions on health (; ). Acculturation-driven shifts in tribal microbiomes may reveal microbial signatures linked to metabolic and inflammatory disease risk. Comparing profiles across lifestyle gradients can help identify biomarkers of health vulnerability or resilience.