Study on the Function of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides in Regulating Human gut microbiota in vitro

Abstract:

This study investigated the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide(LBP) on the structure and metabolites of the human gut microbiota. The individual and mixed samples of fecal extracts from six healthy individuals was subjected to anaerobic fermentation in vitro. The structure and function of gut microbiota after LBP fermentation were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing. The concentration of short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs) in the fermentation broth was detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography(UPLC). The results demonstrated that LBP significantly changed the structure and function of human gut microbiota, increasing the abundance of probiotics Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in gut microbiota while promoting the production of SCFAs. Consequently, LBP can markedly modulate the structure and function of human gut microbiota.