Lycium barbarum Oligosaccharides Alleviate Hepatic Steatosis by Modulating Gut Microbiota in C57BL/6J Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

High-fat diets (HFD) can promote the development of hepatic steatosis by altering the structure and composition of gut flora. In this study, the potential therapeutic mechanism of Lycium barbarum oligosaccharide (LBO) against hepatic steatosis was investigated by analyzing the changes in the intestinal flora and metabolites in mice. Mice on an HFD were administered LBO by gavage once daily for a continuous period of eight weeks. Compared with the HFD group, the levels of triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the serum, and hepatic TG were significantly reduced in the LBO group, and liver lipid accumulation was obviously improved. In addition, LBO could regulate the HFD-induced alteration of intestinal flora. The HFD increased the proportion of Barnesiellaceae, Barnesiella, and CHKCI001. LBO increased the proportion of Dubosiella, Eubacterium, and Lactobacillus. LBO also altered the fecal metabolic profile. Significantly different metabolites between LBO and the HFD, such as taurochenodeoxycholate, taurocholate, fluvastatin, and kynurenic acid, were related to the cholesterol metabolism, bile acid metabolism, and tryptophan metabolic pathways. In light of the above, LBO can alleviate HFD-induced NAFLD by modulating the components of the intestinal flora and fecal metabolites.

Jerusalem artichoke inulin supplementation ameliorates hepatic lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus mice by modulating the gut microbiota and fecal metabolome.

The main focus of this study was on the protection mechanism of Jerusalem artichoke inulin (DI) against type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) associated with abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism and gut microbiota dysfunction in high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. It was determined that the consumption of DI significantly improved the biochemical parameters and physiological indices linked to T2DM, including the reduction in blood glucose, HbA1c, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as well as the contents of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines. Supplementation with DI also ameliorated abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism by altering the expression of genes involved in the production and breakdown of lipids and cholesterol. Microbiological analysis showed that DI supplementation resulted in an enrichment of Prevotellaceae UCG-001, Parasutterella, Prevotellaceae UCG-003, and Dubosiella. Metabolomics revealed 89 differential metabolites closely related to DI intervention, and showed that DI supplementation regulated amino acid metabolism (e.g., indole), lipid metabolism (e.g., phosphocholine), cofactor and vitamin metabolism (e.g., cholecalciferol), nucleotide metabolism (e.g., thymine) and the digestive system (e.g., 7-ketolithocholic acid). Overall, Jerusalem artichoke inulin has a remarkable capacity to ameliorate abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism and gut microbiota dysfunction linked to T2DM.

The formation of starch-lipid complexes by microwave heating.

This study investigated the impact of microwave treatment on the formation of starch-lipid complexes, and physicochemical properties of wheat starch (WS) fortified with lipids, such as lauric acid (LA), glycerol monolaurate (GML), and stearic acid (SA). Specimens were prepared using a conventional water bath and microwave heating and evaluated using macrostructural and microstructural analyses. Iodine staining and scanning electron microscopy revealed interplay between WS and LA. Diffraction peaks around 7.5°, 13°, and 20° and the absence of the absorption band in the 2850 cm-1 were observed in microwave treated WS-lipid samples than conventional water bath samples. Further, more type I complexes were formed in WS-LA microwave-assisted samples, as demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry. Additionally, more resistant starch was formed in specimens treated by microwave than water bath treated counterparts, the finding that was proved by in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis. In short, the current study may suggest the applications of microwave treatment in foods for hypoglycemia.