Microbial and metabolomic remodeling by a formula of Sichuan dark tea improves hyperlipidemia in apoE-deficient mice

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 3;14(7):e0219010. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219010. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Medicine-food homology is a long-standing concept in traditional Chinese medicine. YiNianKangBao (YNKB) tea is a medicine-food formulation based on Sichuan dark tea (Ya'an Tibetan tea), which is traditionally used for its lipid-lowering properties. In this study, we evaluated the effects of YNKB on dyslipidemia and investigated the mechanism underlying its correlation with gut microbiota and serum metabolite regulation. Wild-type mice were fed a normal diet as a control. Male ApoE-/- mice were randomly divided into three high-fat diet (HFD) groups, a model group, and two treated groups (100, 400 mg/kg/d for low, high-dose), and fed by gavage for 12 weeks. Serum lipid levels, composition of gut microbiota, and serum metabolites were then analyzed before treatment with YNKB. We extracted the ingredients of YNKB in boiled water for one hour. YNKB supplementation at a high dose of 400 mg/kg/day reduced bodyweight gains (relative epididymal fat pad and liver weight), and markedly attenuated serum lipid profiles and atherosclerosis index, with no significant differences present between the low-dose treatment and HFD groups. Gut microbiota and serum metabolic analysis indicated that significant differences were observed between normal, HFD, and YNKB treatment groups. These differences in gut microbiota exhibited strong correlations with dyslipidemia-related indexes and serum metabolite levels. Oral administration of high-dose YNKB also showed significant lipid-lowering activity against hyperlipidemia in apoE-deficient mice, which might be associated with composition alterations of the gut microbiota and changes in serum metabolite abundances. These findings highlight that YNKB as a medicine-food formulation derived from Sichuan dark tea could prevent dyslipidemia and improve the understanding of its mechanisms and the pharmacological rationale for preventive use.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Weight
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome* / genetics
  • Humans
  • Hyperlipidemias / blood
  • Hyperlipidemias / diet therapy*
  • Hyperlipidemias / microbiology
  • Lipids / blood
  • Male
  • Metabolomics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout, ApoE
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / diet therapy
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / pathology
  • Teas, Herbal*
  • Teas, Medicinal*

Substances

  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Lipids
  • Teas, Herbal

Grants and funding

The study (Microbial and metabolomic remodeling by a formula of Sichuan dark tea improves hyperlipidemia in apoE-deficient mice) was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2016YFC1305403) and the Sichuan Province Key R&D Program (2018FZ0104). The funders provided money for the authors to conduct experiments, collect specimens, and analyze data. The funders had no additional role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.