Asparagus cochinchinensis alleviates disturbances of lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced obesity mice

Shiyue Luo; Lixiao Zhou; Xuejun Jiang; Yinyin Xia; Lishuang Huang; Run Ling; Shixin Tang; Zhen Zou; Chengzhi Chen; Jingfu Qiu

doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.1015005

Asparagus cochinchinensis alleviates disturbances of lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced obesity mice

Front Pharmacol. 2022 Oct 12:13:1015005. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1015005. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Shiyue Luo¹, Lixiao Zhou¹, Xuejun Jiang^{2

3}, Yinyin Xia^{3

4}, Lishuang Huang⁴, Run Ling⁴, Shixin Tang¹, Zhen Zou^{3

5}, Chengzhi Chen^{3

4}, Jingfu Qiu^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
² Center of Experimental Teaching for Public Health, Experimental Teaching and Management Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
³ Research Center for Environment and Human Health, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
⁴ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
⁵ Molecular Biology Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Abstract

Asparagus cochinchinensis is a valuable traditional Chinese medicine that has anti-inflammatory ability and effectively regulates the dysbiosis within the body. Obesity is usually characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation with aberrant gut microbiota. However, the role of Asparagus cochinchinensis against obesity remains unknown. Therefore, a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model with or without aqueous extract from Asparagus cochinchinensis root (ACE) treatment was established herein to determine whether ACE alleviated obesity and its involved mechanisms. Our results showed that ACE administration significantly decreased the weight gain and relieved dyslipidemia induced by HFD Treatment of ACE also improved glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in obese animal model, and remarkably decreased inflammation and lipogenesis in the liver and adipose. Moreover, administration of ACE significantly reshaped the gut microbiota of obese mice. These findings together suggest that ACE has beneficial effect against HFD-induced obesity and will provide valuable insights for the therapeutic potential of ACE against obesity and may aid in strategy-making for weight loss.

Keywords: Asparagus cochinchinensis; gut microbiota; high-fat diet; lipid metabolism; obesity.