AUTHOR=Yang Xuan , Fang Leyao , Shen Junxi , Tan Zhoujin , Zeng Wenhong , Peng Maijiao , Xiao Nenqun 

TITLE=Lipid-lowering and antioxidant effects of Polygonatum fermented liquor: a study on intestinal microbiota and brain–gut axis in mice

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1428228

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2024.1428228

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=This study aims to investigate the effects of Polygonatum fermented liquor(PFL) on improving lipid metabolism and oxidative stress in mice by regulating gut microbiota. Forty SPF-grade male Kunming mice were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group (NC), general liquor group (GC), Fresh Polygonatum Fermented liquor group (FPC), and nine-steam-nine-bask Polygonatum fermented liquor group (NPC). Each group was administered with sterile water, general liquor(GL), Fresh Polygonatum Fermented liquor(FPFL), and nine-steam-nine-bask Polygonatum fermented liquor(NPFL), respectively, by gavage. The mice's liver, brain tissue, serum, and intestinal contents were collected. Liver oxidative stress indicators, four blood lipid indicators, GABA and BDNF levels in brain tissue were measured, liver HE staining was performed, and the gut microbiota in the small intestine contents was analyzed using 16S rRNA second-generation sequencing technology. Compared with the NC group, the NPC group significantly increased the liver GSH-Px content in mice (p<0.05), reduced the number of lipid droplets in the liver cells, and increased the GABA and BDNF content in brain tissue. The NPC group regulated lipid metabolism by lowering LDL-C and increasing HDL-C content in mouse serum. Gut microbiota analysis showed significant changes in the gut microbiota of mice in the FPC and NPC groups, with increased richness and species diversity. These two groups increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus, unclassified Muribaculaceae, unclassified Bacilli, and uncultured Bacteroidales bacterium while reducing the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Candidatus Arthromitus and Staphylococcus, with a particularly significant reduction in Staphylococcus (p<0.05). It is speculated that the two types of PFL may exert lipidlowering and antioxidant effects by modulating the abundance of these dominant bacteria. Further studies showed various environmental factors closely related to the dominant gut bacteria. MDA was significantly negatively correlated with Lactobacillus and unclassified Bacilli, SOD was significantly negatively correlated with Staphylococcus (p<0.01) and significantly negatively correlated with Candidatus Arthromitus (p<0.05), and HDL-C was significantly negatively correlated with Staphylococcus and Facklamia (p<0.05).The two types of PFL may exert lipid-lowering and antioxidant effects by modulating the composition and function of the gut microbiota, providing guidance for the industrial application of Polygonatum.