Elephantopus scaber L. (ESL) is a Chinese herb that is used both as a food and medicine, often being added to soups in summer in south China to relieve heat stress (HS), but its exact mechanism of action is unknown. In this study, heat-stressed mice were gavaged with ESL polysaccharides (ESLP) at 0, 150, 300, and 450 mg/kg/d-1 (n = 5) for seven days. The gut microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), seven neurotransmitters in faeces, expression of intestinal epithelial tight junction (TJ) proteins (Claudin-1, Occludin), and serum inflammatory cytokines were measured. The low dose of ESLP (ESLL) improved the adverse physiological conditions; significantly reduced the cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels (p < 0.05); upregulated the expression of Claudin-1; restored the gut microbiota composition including Achromobacter and Oscillospira, which were at similar levels to those in the normal control group; significantly increased beneficial SCFAs like butyric acid and 5-HT levels in the faeces of heat-stressed mice; and significantly decreased the valeric acid and glutamic acid level. The level of inflammatory markers significantly correlated with the above-mentioned indicators (p < 0.05). Thus, ESLL reduced the HS-induced systemic inflammation by optimizing gut microbiota (Achromobacter, Oscillospira) abundance, increasing gut beneficial SCFAs like butyric acid and 5-HT levels, and reducing gut valeric and glutamic acid levels.
Keywords: Elephantopus scaber L. polysaccharides; gut microbiota; heat stress; neurotransmitters; short chain fatty acids; systemic inflammation.