ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutrition and Microbes
Divergent Pathways of Mango Fractions in Promoting Metabolic Health: From Gut Microbiota Remodeling to Direct Systemic Regulation
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Public Health, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
- 2Department of Pharmacy, THE PEOPLE'S HOSPITAL OF MIYI COUNTY, Panzhihua, China
- 3Chengdu Medical College School of Pharmacy, Chengdu, China
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To dissect the distinct metabolic regulatory mechanisms of mango pulp (MPP), peel (MPL), and kernel (MKE), this study integrated 16S rRNA sequencing and fecal metabolomics in a mouse model. We uncovered a clear bifurcation in their actions. MPP and MPL acted primarily by remodeling the gut microbiota. Specifically, MPP treatment enriched Bilophila, while MPL treatment enriched Staphylococcus. Both components altered fecal peptide and lipid metabolism. In contrast, MKE displayed a direct systemic action largely independent of colonic microbial fermentation independent of the microbiota. Despite minimal impact on the fecal metabolome, its bioactive saponins were linked to the modulation of host steroid hormone biosynthesis, suggesting direct absorption. These findings establish a dual-mechanism model for mango's bioactivity, providing a scientific framework for developing its components— specifically the MPP and MPL as microbiota-modulating agents and the MKE as a direct systemic regulator.
Keywords: By-product valorization, Functional Food, Gut Microbiota, Mango kernel, Mango peel, Mango pulp, Metabolomics
Received: 11 Nov 2025; Accepted: 05 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Su, Cai, zhang, Li, Li, Zhou, Liu, Wang and Liao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Chunli Su
Hongli Liao
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