Effect of A Polyphenol-Rich Extract on the Composition of the Gut Microbiota of Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

This study investigated the influence of extract (CAext) on intestinal microbiota composition of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Kun Ming (KM) mice were fed either a normal chow diet or a HFD for six weeks. At the seventh week, HFD-fed mice were gavaged daily with saline, or a different dose of CAext for four weeks, respectively. Then, the composition of the gut microbiota was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing technology. Analysis of fecal microbial populations, grouped by phyla, showed significant increases of and , but a decrease of in all CAext-fed mice. Particularly, CAext gavage in a low dose or a medium dose caused a significant increase in the proportion of . These findings suggested that CAext can alter the gut microbiota composition of HFD-fed mice, and had a potential prebiotic effects on .