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Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (CNP) is a common male disease with high incidence and low cure rate. This study aims to investigate the anti-CNP potential of Poria cocos polysaccharides (PPs) in a λ-carrageenan-induced CNP rat model. Results showed that PPs exerted anti-CNP functions by reducing the prostate weight and prostate index as well as the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β). Further analysis on sex hormones revealed that PPs could favor CNP alleviation by regulating the production of testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DTH), and estradiol (E2). PPs could also alleviate CNP by regulating the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), malonaldehyde (MDA), and superoxide diamutase (SOD) in inflamed prostate, thereby enhancing the anti-oxidative stress activity. As most non-digestive polysaccharides are fermented by gut microbiota rather than being digested directly by the host, we further analyzed PP-induced changes in gut microbiota. Microbiomic analysis revealed that PPs significantly change the profile of gut microbiota. Moreover, the relative abundance of five genera was recovered by PPs with a dose−effect relationship, thereby being suggested to play critical roles in the alleviation of CNP. Epigenomic (methylomic) analysis showed that PPs remodeled the DNA methylome of intestinal epithelia, by which PPs might modify hormone production. In the present study, we reported the anti-CNP activity of PPs as well as the involved mechanisms.

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The current dietary recommendations for disease prevention and management are scarce and are not well supported. Beta‐glucan or quercetin in a diet can alleviate colorectal cancer (CRC) by regulating the gut microbiota and related genes, but the effects of alternating their consumption for routine ingestion during CRC occurrence remain unknown. This study investigated the effects of alternating the consumption of β‐glucan and quercetin for routine ingestion on CRC development in mice. The mortality rate, colonic length, inflammatory cytokines, gut microbiota, and colonic epithelial gene expression in healthy and CRC mice that consumed normal and alternate diets were compared and studied. The results showed that alternating the consumption of β‐glucan and quercetin (alternating among a β‐glucan diet, a normal diet and a normal diet that was supplemented with quercetin) alleviated colon damage and reduced the mortality rate in CRC mice, with a reduction in mortality of 12.5%. Alternating the consumption of β‐glucan and quercetin significantly decreased the TNF‐α level, increased the relative abundance of Parabacteroides, and downregulated three genes (Hmgcs2, Fabp2, and Gpt) that are associated with inflammation and cancer. Alternating the consumption of some bioactive compounds, such as β‐glucan and quercetin, in food can contribute to human health. This experiment provided some experimental evidence for the dietary recommendations for disease prevention and management.

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The diet of traditional Asian is similar to the Mediterranean that was considered as a healthy dietary pattern. The report was scarce on whether different plant‐derived components with similar anti‐oxidative and anti‐inflammatory function such as quercetin and alliin in traditional Asian diet consumed in an alternate style cooperatively affect health including the growth of host and the status of the gut microbiota and colonic epithelial immunity. In the present study, the effects of alternate consumption of quercetin and alliin on host health judging by the profile of gut microbiota and gene expression of colonic epithelial cells were investigated with the Illumina MiSeq sequencing (16S rRNA genes) and Illumina HiSeq (RNA‐seq) technique, respectively. The results showed that the alternate consumption significantly increased the rat body weight and reshaped the gut microbiota composition. At the phylum level, it significantly increased the relative abundance of fecal Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria but decreased that of Bacteroidetes (P < 0.05) and increased the relative abundance of Candidatus Arthromitus, Lactococcus, Geobacillus, and Ruminococcus at the genus level that benefits the host's health. The alternate consumption of quercetin and alliin also altered 13 genes expression involved in the KEGG pathways of complement and coagulation cascades and hematopoietic cell lineage to improve the gut immunity. Therefore, the alternate consumption of quercetin and alliin in traditional Asian diet can contribute beneficial metabolic effects by optimizing gut microbiota and altering the immunologic function of colonic epithelial cells, resulting in its potential to improve the sub‐health status.

BACKGROUND: Aging causes decreased antioxidant capacity and chronic inflammation and may even elevate cancer risks. Previous studies reported that flaxseed oil (FO) can alleviate age-related diseases, including improving alcoholic liver disease, atherosclerosis and diabetes. However, whether the intestinal microbiota accountable for this alleviation is still unknown. This study aims to study the antioxidant effects of FO in an aging rat model and the underlying mechanism between the intestinal microbiota and aging. RESULTS: Our results presented that serum and liver antioxidant capacities in FO group were up-regulated, and liver inflammation in FO group was reduced. The 16S rDNA sequencing showed that FO regulated the microbial community, including up-regulation of four families of Lactobacillus and six families of Clostridium. In addition, FO had also adjusted the relative abundance of several genera such as Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 and Prevotella_9, which may be the key bacteria associated with the aging process. Colonic transcriptome analysis showed that there were 1679 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the Model group and the FO group (134 up-regulated and 1545 down-regulated). Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed FO down-regulates the expression of the upstream genes Ptprc, Lck, Zap70, Lat and Lcp2 in the T cell receptor signaling pathway.CONCLUSION: In conclusion, FO improved antioxidant capacity and reduced intestinal microbial disturbances caused by aging damage, indicating that dietary FO has the potential to fight aging damage. This study provides a more comprehensive view of dietary intervention to improve aging.