Hesperidin and Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Modulate the Composition of the Gut Microbiota and Reduce Obesity in High Fat Diet Mice.

INTRODUCTION

Obesity, which is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, low-grade chronic inflammation and intestinal barrier dysfunction, can cause a variety of chronic metabolic diseases. Phytochemical flavonoids have a variety of biological activities, among which there may be safe and effective anti-obesity solutions.

METHODS

We tested a plant-derived flavonoid hesperidin and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to alleviate diet-induced obesity. High-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice were treated with hesperidin (100 and 200 mg/kg BW) and FMT.

RESULTS

Results indicated that hesperidin had the effects of reducing obesity as indicated by reduction of body weight, fat accumulation and blood lipids, reducing inflammation as indicated by reduction of pro-inflammation factors including TNFα, IL-6, IL-1βand iNOS, and improving gut integrity as indicated by increasing colon length, reducing plasma gut permeability indicators iFABP and LBP, increased mRNA expression of mucus protein Muc2, tight junction p Claudin 2, Occludin and ZO-1 in the HFD-fed mice. The anti-obesity effects of hesperidin treatment have a dose-dependent manner. In addition, 16S rRNA-based gut microbiota analysis revealed that hesperidin selectively promoted the growth of while inhibiting and in the HFD-fed mice. Horizontal feces transfer from the normal diet (ND)-fed mice to the HFD-fed mice conferred anti-obesity effects and transmitted some of the HFD-modulated microbes.

CONCLUSION

We concluded that hesperidin and FMT both affect the reduction of body weight and improve HFD-related disorders in the HFD-fed mice possibly through modulating the composition of the gut microbiota.