Li Yutong, Li Shangkun, Lin Lidong, Li Di, Zhao Jin, Liu Shu, Ma Yichao, Ren Dandan, Zhou Hui, Wang Qiukuan, He Yunhai
College of Food Science and Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Utilization of Liaoning Province, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; National R&D Branch Center for Seaweed Processing, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China.
Dongtou District Marine Economic Science and Technology Innovation Center, Wenzhou 325700, China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Apr;302:140619. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140619. Epub 2025 Feb 2.
This study investigated the effects of the polyphenol-polysaccharide complex (HPC) and its purified components (PC1 and PC4), obtained from Hizikia fusiforme, on the human gut microbiota during in vitro simulated digestion and fecal fermentation. Results showed a gradual increase in reducing sugar content for HPC, PC1, and PC4 during simulated digestion, accompanied by a slight decrease in molecular weight, indicating that these complexes were not completely digested during oral-gastrointestinal digestion. However, following fermentation, the molecular weights of HPC, PC1, and PC4 decreased significantly, and the molar ratios of monosaccharide compositions changed considerably compared with prefermentation values. Thus, these complexes were degraded and used by the intestinal microbiota to produce short-chain fatty acids, which decreased the pH. In addition, after fecal fermentation, beneficial bacteria such as Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, and Bifidobacterium became more abundant, whereas the amount of harmful bacteria such as Fusobacterium and Escherichia/Shigella decreased, revealing the regulation by the complex on the intestinal microbiota. In conclusion, the polyphenol-polysaccharide complex improves the composition and abundance of the human gastrointestinal microbiota, thereby supporting gut health.
