The metabolic health effects of early-life burdock (Arctium lappa L.) root inulin intervention on gut-liver omics

Abstract

Inulin, a common food additive, has prebiotic properties. The study, we evaluated the effect of early-life burdock (Arctium lappa L.) root inulin (BRI) intervention on C57BL/6 J male mice. Two groups: normal control (NC; standard diet + drinking water) and BRI group (standard diet +2 % BRI drinking water [w/v]). After 6-month experiment, BRI supplementation prevented abdominal and liver fat accumulation in mice, improving serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein levels. Dietary BRI increased intestinal microbiota diversity and reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio. The relative abundances of negatively correlated with lipogenesis Parabacteroides and Desulfovibrio were increased. Non-targeted metabolomics of liver tissue indicated that BRI affected lipids and lipid-like metabolites. Liver tissue transcriptomics revealed that lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis genes, bile secretion genes were significantly different. These results demonstrate the effect of BRI on lipid metabolism, reducing the risk of diet-related chronic non-communicable diseases, particularly abdominal obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver.

Keywords

• Burdock (Arctium lappa L.) root inulin
• Lipid metabolism
• Gut-liver omics