Polysaccharides Extracted from Old Stalks of Asparagus officinalis L. Improve Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver by Increasing the Gut Butyric Acid Content and Improving Gut Barrier Function

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ranks among the most prevalent chronic liver diseases worldwide, yet effective treatments remain scarce. Old stalks of Asparagus officinalis L. are rich in polysaccharides. The anti-NAFLD mechanism of polysaccharides from old stalks of A. officinalis (AP) requires further study. Here, we studied the effects of AP on NAFLD mice and its impact on the gut microbiota. AP intervention reduces blood lipids and liver lipids and reduces liver injury and inflammation in mice with NAFLD. Moreover, AP intervention changed gut microbiota composition and increased the abundances of butyric acid-producing bacteria, thereby increasing plasma concentration of butyric acid. Furthermore, AP intervention regulated the AMPK/SREBPs signaling pathway, thereby affecting hepatic lipid synthesis. Additionally, AP intervention improved gut barrier function and reduced plasma LPS levels, which subsequently inhibited the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby alleviating inflammation in NAFLD model mice. Importantly, fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) outcomes demonstrated that AP-induced changes in the gut microbiota impact the AMPK/SREBPs and LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathways. These data suggest that AP intervention ameliorates NAFLD by regulating the gut microbiota. These research provides a scientific foundation for the use of the stalks of A. officinalis in the treatment of NAFLD.