AUTHOR=Pan Lixia , Ye Hangyu , Pi Xionge , Liu Wei , Wang Zhao , Zhang Yinjun , Zheng Jianyong 

TITLE=Effects of several flavonoids on human gut microbiota and its metabolism by in vitro simulated fermentation

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1092729

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1092729

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Flavonoids have antiviral, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and other biological activities. They have high market value and are widely used in food and medicine fields. They also can regulate gut microbiota and promote human health. However, only a few flavonoids have been reported for their regulatory effects on human gut microbiota.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>The effects of hesperidin, hesperetin-7-O-glucoside, hesperetin, naringin, prunin, naringenin, rutin, isoquercitrin, and quercetin on gut microbiota structural and metabolic differences in healthy subjects were studied by means of <italic>in vitro</italic> simulated fermentation technology.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Results showed that the nine kinds of flavonoids mentioned above, especially hesperetin-7-O-glucoside, prunin, and isoquercitrin, were found to have more effect on the structure of human gut microbiota, and they could significantly enhance <italic>Bifidobacterium</italic> (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). After 24 h of <italic>in vitro</italic> simulated fermentation, the relative abundance of intestinal probiotics (e.g., <italic>Lactobacillus</italic>) was increased by the three flavonoids and rutin. Furthermore, the relative abundance of potential pathogenic bacteria was decreased by the addition of hesperetin-7-O-glucoside, naringin, prunin, rutin, and isoquercitrin (e.g., <italic>Lachnoclostridium</italic> and <italic>Bilophila</italic>). Notably, prunin could also markedly decrease the content of H<sub>2</sub>S, NH<sub>3</sub>, and short-chain fatty acids. This performance fully demonstrated its broad-spectrum antibacterial activity.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>This study demonstrates that flavonoids can regulate the imbalance of gut microbiota, and some differences in the regulatory effect are observed due to different structures. This work provides a theoretical basis for the wide application of flavonoids for food and medicine.</p></sec>