Polygonatum cyrtonema Polysaccharides Alleviates Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice by Modulating the Gut Microbiota and Reducing Intestinal Inflammation

This study examined the potential function and mechanism of Polygonatum cyrtonema polysaccharide (PCP) in alleviating high-fat diet -induced obesity in mice.Our results showed that high-dose PCP (PCP-H) significantly reduced body weight, blood lipid, and blood glucose levels in HFD-induced obese mice, whereas low-dose PCP (PCP-L) exhibited limited efficacy.Gut microbiota analysis revealed that PCP-H interventions significantly increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, including Muribaculaceae, Bacteroides, and Alloprevotella, and decreased the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria, such as Mucispirillum and Escherichia-Shigella, in HFD-fed obese mice.Additionally, PCP-H administration increased the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, which were correlated with the regulatory effect of PCP-H on the microbiota composition.Furthermore, PCP-H downregulated the mRNA expression of TLR-4, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the intestines, resulting in attenuated intestinal inflammation.Moreover, PCP-H restored intestinal barrier function by upregulating the gene and protein expression levels of claudin-1, occludin and ZO-1, which in turn led to decreased serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6).Taken together, these findings indicate the effect of PCP-H on mitigating diet-induced obesity may be associated with elevated levels of SCFAs, decreased intestinal inflammation, and enhanced intestinal barrier function, potentially mediated through the regulation of gut microbiota.