Bitter Melon Powder Protects against Obesity-associated Fatty Liver Disease by Improving Colonic Microenvironment in Rats with High-fat Diet-induced Obesity

This study explored how bitter melon powder （BMP） alters the colonic microenvironment during the development of obesity-associated fatty liver in rats. We observed that BMP effectively inhibited the body weight gain and lipid accumulation in the liver, ameliorated glucose intolerance, and increased the colon weight after an 8-week treatment compared to that in the high-fat diet （HFD） group. BMP significantly decreased fecal water toxicity towards HT-29 cells, as revealed by the cell counting kit （CCK）-8 assay results, and the mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4） in colon mucosa. Additionally, gut permeability in the BMP group was restored to normal levels. Finally, BMP alleviated the inflammatory state of the rat colon mucosa and liver tissues as well as the systemic inflammation.

苦瓜粉缓解大鼠肥胖相关炎症的作用途径

目的:研究苦瓜粉(BMP)对大鼠肥胖相关炎症的缓解作用,并从BMP调节肠道内短链脂肪酸(SCFAs)含量的角度探索其作用途径。方法:在喂以高脂饲料的同时,对大鼠分别灌胃给水(4 mL/kg bw)和BMP(300 mg/kg bw)14周,测定大鼠的体脂比、血糖、血脂等指标;采用ELISA和GC-MS等方法 ,分析大鼠血清炎症因子、血浆内毒素和肠道SCFAs水平的变化,分析苦瓜调节肥胖相关炎症的作用途径,结果表明:BMP可减缓大鼠体重增长速度,并显著降低大鼠的血糖、血脂、血清炎症因子(TNF-α、IL-6、IL-10)和血浆内毒素的水平(P<0.05)。同时,BMP还能促进大鼠肠道产生乙酸、丙酸和丁酸,并在灌胃中期达到峰值,其含量分别达到87.76,5.34μmol/g和8.32μmol/g,基本与正常组持平。结论 :BMP可以抑制高脂饮食诱导大鼠体内TNF-α、IL-6、内毒素等水平的升高,具有缓解大鼠肥胖相关炎症的作用,这可能与改变大鼠肠道SCFAs含量相关。

苦瓜全粉和苦瓜乙醇提取物健康功效的体外评估

本研究的目的是运用体外模型评估苦瓜全粉和苦瓜乙醇提取物的健康功效。苦瓜全粉和苦瓜乙醇提取物以7.5 mg/mL和15 mg/mL的剂量与新鲜粪便样品进行体外厌氧培养。通过454焦磷酸测序技术分析粪便菌群组成的变化,同时测定发酵上清中短链脂肪酸的含量以及对Caco-2单层细胞跨膜电阻的影响。结果显示,苦瓜全粉(15 mg/mL)可以明显地扶植Faecalibacterium属细菌,同时抑制Bilophila和Desulfovibrio属细菌的增殖;同等剂量的苦瓜全粉发酵上清中短链脂肪酸的含量明显高于苦瓜乙醇提取物发酵上清;源自苦瓜乙醇提取物(15 mg/mL)的发酵上清对Caco-2单层细胞跨膜电阻的增强作用要大于苦瓜全粉(15 mg/mL)。本研究探究了体外苦瓜全粉和苦瓜乙醇提取物不同的生理功效,为以后苦瓜制品的选择提供了初步证据。