Alleviation of Alcoholic Fatty Liver by Dendrobium officinale Flower Extracts due to Regulation of Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Mice Exposed to Chronic Alcohol

Abstract

Alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) is caused by long-term heavy alcohol consumption; therefore, useful and practical methods for the prevention of AFLD are urgently needed. The edible flower of Dendrobium officinale contains diverse flavonoids, and has shown antioxidant activity as well as antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, an AFLD model was established, the protective effect of D. officinale flower (DOF) ethanol extract on AFLD was evaluated, and its mechanisms were investigated by analyzing gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). DOF extract (DOFE) supplementation promoted alcohol metabolism, restored hepatic antioxidant capacity, alleviated oxidative stress, reduced inflammatory factor levels, and inhibited dyslipidemia induced by alcohol intake in chronic alcohol-exposed mice, especially in the high DOFE group. Moreover, DOFE supplementation increased the diversity, structure, and composition of the gut microbiota in mice, restored some of the abnormal SCFA levels caused by AFLD, and helped restore intestinal function. DOFE supplementation significantly increased the relative abundance of Akkermansia, suggesting that Akkermansia may be a potential target of the protective effect of DOFE. Therefore, DOFE supplementation to improve the composition of the gut microbiota may be an effective therapeutic strategy for the prevention of AFLD.

Therapeutic Potential of Danyankang Capsule in High-Fat Diet-Induced Cholelithiasis and Its Impact on Liver FXR Signaling and Gut Microbiota

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that the addition of bile salts or bile acid analogs to food can impact the composition of the intestinal microbiota, the predominant producers of short-chain fatty acids in the intestinal environment are Bacteroidota and Firmicutes. [42][43][44] Recent studies have reported that the gallstone group is characterized by a decreased abundance of Firmicutes and Spirochaetia, alongside an increase in Bacteroidota, Deferribacteres, and Proteobacteria. 45,46) In our study, we found that a high-fat diet compromises the diversity of the gut microbiota in mice.…”

Therapeutic potential of dietary nutrients and medicinal foods against metabolic disorders: Targeting Akkermansia muciniphila

“…officinale flower (Zhang et al, 2023), modified cereal bran (Devi et al, 2023), and some other nutraceutical foods also could promote the growth of A. muciniphila and the production of SCFAs to exert their protection effect on human health. These studies indicated that the effectiveness of functional foods or medicinal foods relies, to some extent, on the enrichment of A. muciniphila and its related metabolite SCFAs.…”

The Influence of Diet and Its Components on the Development and Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

“…The hepatoprotective potential of food is presented in Table 1. Alcohol, being a highly toxic and carcinogenic substance, is considered a factor contributing to liver inflammation and fibrosis [103]. A literature review indicates the necessity for individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to abstain from alcohol consumption, because of a proven reduction in HCC risk in this group [104].…”