Abstract
Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) are special flavonoids in citrus fruits that have been suggested to be beneficial to human health. However, whether PMFs in citrus fruit alter human gut microbiota is not well understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of PMF-rich fraction from Ougan (Citrus reticulata cv. Suavissima) on gut microbiota and evaluate the intestinal metabolic profile of PMFs in Institute of Cancer Research mice. The main components of the PMF-rich fraction were nobiletin, tangeretin, and 5-demethylnobiletin. The composition of the gut microbiota was analyzed using 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing. The results showed that after oral administration, the composition of mice gut microbiota was significantly altered. The relative abundance of two probiotics, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, were found to increase significantly. A total of 21 metabolites of PMFs were detected in mice intestinal content by high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, and they were generated through demethylation, demethoxylation, hydroxylation, and glucuronidation. Our results provided evidence that PMFs have potential beneficial regulatory effects on gut microbiota that in turn metabolize PMFs, which warrants further investigation in human clinical trials.
Highlights
The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem inhabiting in the gastrointestinal tract and consisting of a diverse microbiotic community living in symbiosis with the host [1]
The main objective of the present study was to study the effects of PMFs from Ougan on the composition of the gut microbiota, as well as how PMFs are converted in the gastrointestinal tract of mice
A total of 11 flavonoid compounds were identified in PMF-rich fraction (Table 1 and Figure 1a), including two flavanone-O-glycosides and nine PMFs
Summary
The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem inhabiting in the gastrointestinal tract and consisting of a diverse microbiotic community living in symbiosis with the host [1]. The microbial compositions and abundance are directly and indirectly changed by the dietary patterns, antibiotics, probiotics, and lifestyle of the individual, among which the diet is considered the primary modulator of the gut microbiota [2]. This is not surprising because distinct food components selectively enrich microorganisms that are able to utilize these nutrients and support microbial metabolic cross-feeding, leading to the maintenance of a diverse and balanced community [4]
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