Plant polyphenols alter a pathway of energy metabolism by inhibiting fecal Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in vitro

Abstract

The function of plant polyphenols in controlling body weight has been in focus for a long time. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of plant polyphenols on fecal microbiota utilizing oligosaccharides. Three plant polyphenols, quercetin, catechin and puerarin, were added into liquid media for fermenting for 24 h. The pH values, OD600 of the cultures and the content of carbohydrates at 0, 6, 10, 14, 18 and 24 h were determined. The abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in each culture was quantified with qPCR after 10 h of fermentation, and the bacterial composition was analyzed using the software Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology. The results revealed that all three plant polyphenols could significantly inhibit the growth of Bacteroidetes (P < 0.01) and Firmicutes (P < 0.01) while at the same time down-regulate the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes (P < 0.01). But the fecal bacteria could maintain the ability to hydrolyze fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) in vitro. Among the tested polyphenols, catechin presented the most intense inhibitory activity towards the growth of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, and quercetin was the second. Only the samples with catechin had a significantly lower energy metabolism (P < 0.05). In conclusion, plant polyphenols can change the pathway of degrading FOS or even energy metabolism in vivo by altering gut microbiota composition. It may be one of the mechanisms in which plant polyphenols can lead to body weight loss. It's the first report to study in vitro gastrointestinal microbiota fermenting dietary fibers under the intervention of plant polyphenols.

Interactions of Dihydromyricetin, a Flavonoid from Vine Tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) with Gut Microbiota

“…PCA and PCoA scores both indicated that gut microbiota in the DMY‐treated group showed a significant structural shift along the first principal component (PC1). Meanwhile, our results showed agreement with many plant polyphenols such as quercetin, anthocyanins, and catechin (Xue et al., ). In order to clarify how DMY reshape gut microbiota composition, the comparisons of the relative abundances at the different levels between the control and DMY‐treated groups were conducted.…”

Green Tea Polyphenols Modulate Colonic Microbiota Diversity and Lipid Metabolism in High‐Fat Diet Treated HFA Mice

“…It has been reported that multiple mechanisms are involved in decreasing body weight, such as regulating gut microbiota, inhibiting energy intake and stimulating energy expenditure (Hursel & Westerterp‐Plantenga, ; Xue et al., ). In our study, after 8 wk of being administered a HFD, the levels of TC, TG and LDL‐C were significantly higher in HFD than CONV mice, which is in agreement with the results of Lee et al.…”

Role of the small intestine, colon and microbiota in determining the metabolic fate of polyphenols

“…Intact cell walls might significantly limit access of (poly)phenols-catabolising bacteria to their substrates [136], and Mosele et al demonstrated that a simulated duodenal digestion that degraded pectin increased microbial access to many substrates [137]. It has also been demonstrated in vitro that the exposure to (poly)phenols modulates the ability of the microbiota to metabolise fructo-oligosaccharides and to generate short chain fatty acids [138,139]. It must be anticipated that interactions absent from in vitro fermentations are likely in the gastrointestinal tract in vivo.…”