Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) flower polysaccharide attenuates metabolic syndrome in high-fat diet induced mice in association with modulation of gut microbiota

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that dietary polysaccharides play a crucial role in preventing metabolic syndrome (MetS) through their interaction with gut microbes. Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) flower polysacchride (TFPS) is a novel functional compound known for its diverse beneficial effects in both vivo and vitro. To further investigate the effects of TFPS on MetS and gut microbiota, and the possible association between gut microbiota and their activities, this study was carried out on mice that were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and given oral TFPS at a dose of 400 and 800 mg/kg·body weight (BW)/d, respectively. TFPS treatment significantly mitigated HFD-induced MetS, evidenced by reductions in body weight, fat accumulation, plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-1β, along with an increase in plasma IL-10 levels. Furthermore, TFPS induced alterations in the diversity and composition of HFD-induced gut microbiota. Specifically, TFPS influenced the relative abundance of 11 genera, including Lactobacillus and Lactococcus, which showed strong correlations with metabolic improvements and likely contributed to the amelioration of MetS. In conclusion, TFPS exhibits promising prebiotic properties in preventing MetS and regulating gut microbiota.