Fu instant tea ameliorates fatty liver by improving microbiota dysbiosis and elevating short-chain fatty acids in the intestine of mice fed a high-fat diet

Abstract

Fatty liver disease is a global public health threat. Fu instant tea is a new tea product made from the Fu brick tea fermented by Eurotium cristatum. This study explored Fu instant tea's effects on improving fatty liver disease and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis caused by a high-fat diet. We found that Fu instant tea's production process increased polyphenols content from 36.3 ± 1.4 mg/g to 111 ± 6 mg/g, and the Fu instant tea had higher antioxidant activity than Fu brick tea. More importantly, Fu instant tea prevented fatty liver disease by reducing liver edema and reduced liver fat accumulation and inflammation. Meanwhile, Fu instant tea also reduced the ratio of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes that decreased energy intake. Fu instant tea increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae and reduced Helicobacter and Desulfovibrio, contributing to inhibiting liver inflammation. Fu instant tea also increased the short-chain fatty acids, which indirectly contributed to increasing intestinal epithelial cells' growth, which helped prevent fatty liver disease. Our results demonstrate the health function of Fu instant tea and support the development of other tea products.