Preventive Effects of Anthocyanins from Lyciumruthenicum Murray in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice Are Related to the Regulation of Intestinal Microbiota and Inhibition of Pancreatic Lipase Activity

Abstract

Lyciumruthenicum Murray (L. ruthenicum) has been used both as traditional Chinese medicine and food. Recent studies indicated that anthocyanins are the most abundant bioactive compounds in the L. ruthenicum fruits. The purpose of this study was to investigate the preventive effects and the mechanism of the anthocycanins from the fruit of L. ruthenicum (ACN) in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. In total, 24 male C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups: control group (fed a normal diet), high-fat diet group (fed a high-fat diet, HFD), and HFD +ACN group (fed a high-fat diet and drinking distilled water that contained 0.8% crude extract of ACN). The results showed that ACN could significantly reduce the body weight, inhibit lipid accumulation in liver and white adipose tissue, and lower the serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared to that of mice fed a high-fat diet. 16S rRNA gene sequencing of bacterial DNA demonstrated that ACN prevent obesity by enhancing the diversity of cecal bacterial communities, lowering the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidota ratio, increasing the genera Akkermansia, and decreasing the genera Faecalibaculum. We also studied the inhibitory effect of ACN on pancreatic lipase. The results showed that ACN has a high affinity for pancreatic lipase and inhibits the activity of pancreatic lipase, with IC50 values of 1.80 (main compound anthocyanin) and 3.03 mg/mL (crude extract), in a competitive way. Furthermore, fluorescence spectroscopy studies showed that ACN can quench the intrinsic fluorescence of pancreatic lipase via a static mechanism. Taken together, these findings suggest that the anthocyanins from L. ruthenicum fruits could have preventive effects in high-fat-diet induced obese mice by regulating the intestinal microbiota and inhibiting the pancreatic lipase activity.

Anthocyanins from Lycium ruthenicum Murray Prevent High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Female Mice via Gut Microbiota-Related Bile Acids Metabolism

“…22,23 Previous studies confirmed that ACN derived from Lycium ruthenicum Murray effectively reduces body weight in HFD-induced male C57BL/6J mice mainly by enhancing bacterial communities’ diversity, enhancing intestinal barrier integrity, inhibiting pancreatic lipase activity, and lowering the Firmicutes to Bacteroidota ratio . 18 In this study, our investigation revealed notable distinctions in the gut microbiota composition between male and female mice following ACN intervention at the taxonomic level. Specifically, we observed a significant increase in the abundance of Lactobacillus_jonsonii and Lactobacillus_reuteri in the fecal samples of female mice post-ACN intervention.…”

“…16 Meanwhile, ACN attenuated HFD-induced gut microbial metabolic dysbiosis and confirmed inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity in male mice. 17,18 However, the role of ACN in the prevention of overweight and obesity in females is not fully understood. Therefore, this experiment aimed to investigate the preventive effects of ACN induced by HFD in female obese mice.…”

Effects of Anthocyanins on Components of Metabolic Syndrome—A Review

“…Specifically, anthocyanin supplementation at ≤300 mg/day for 4 weeks has been shown to effectively reduce BMI and body weight [ 194 ]. Additionally, anthocyanins contained in Lycium ruthenicum Murray fruit counteracted obesity by inhibiting pancreatic lipase and regulating the intestinal microflora [ 176 ]. Furthermore, anthocyanin extracts from L. ruthenicum as well as blueberries and cranberries reduced weight gain and total body fat mass [ 166 , 176 ].…”

Grape Pomace as a Cardiometabolic Health-Promoting Ingredient: Activity in the Intestinal Environment

“…This is particularly important as postprandial hyperglycemia is a significant component of all forms of diabetes [ 48 ]. Concurrently, intestinal lipase plays an important role in triacylglycerols absorption, which is related to body weight control and obesity [ 49 ]. Therefore, this capacity of GP to inhibit intestinal enzymes has been suggested to be behind, at least partly, its cardiometabolic potential proved in vivo [ 50 , 51 ].…”