Untargeted metabolomics-based network pharmacology reveals fermented brown rice towards anti-obesity efficacy

Kaliyan Barathikannan; Ramachandran Chelliah; Annadurai Vinothkanna; Ragothaman Prathiviraj; Akanksha Tyagi; Selvakumar Vijayalakshmi; Min-Jin Lim; Ai-Qun Jia; Deog- Hwan Oh

doi:10.1038/s41538-024-00258-x

Untargeted metabolomics-based network pharmacology reveals fermented brown rice towards anti-obesity efficacy

NPJ Sci Food. 2024 Mar 30;8(1):20. doi: 10.1038/s41538-024-00258-x.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Agricultural and Life Science Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Korea.
² Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha (SIMATS) University, Tamil Nadu, 600124, India.
³ Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701, South Korea.
⁴ Kangwon Institute of Inclusive Technology (KIIT), Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, South Korea.
⁵ School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, China.
⁶ Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, 570311, Haikou, China.
⁷ Department of Microbiology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India.
⁸ Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701, South Korea. deoghwa@kangwon.ac.kr.

Abstract

There is a substantial rise in the global incidence of obesity. Brown rice contains metabolic substances that can help minimize the prevalence of obesity. This study evaluated nine brown rice varieties using probiotic fermentation using Pediococcus acidilacti MNL5 to enhance bioactive metabolites and their efficacy. Among the nine varieties, FBR-1741 had the highest pancreatic lipase inhibitory efficacy (87.6 ± 1.51%), DPPH assay (358.5 ± 2.80 mg Trolox equiv./100 g, DW), and ABTS assay (362.5 ± 2.32 mg Trolox equiv./100 g, DW). Compared to other fermented brown rice and FBR-1741 varieties, UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS demonstrated significant untargeted metabolite alterations. The 17 most abundant polyphenolic metabolites in the FBR-1741 variety and 132 putative targets were assessed for obesity-related target proteins, and protein interaction networks were constructed using the Cystoscope software. Network pharmacology analysis validated FBR-1741 with active metabolites in the C. elegans obesity-induced model. Administration of FBR-1741 with ferulic acid improved lifespan decreased triglycerides, and suppressed the expression of fat-related genes. The enhanced anti-obesity properties of FBR-1741 suggest its implementation in obesity-functional food.