The effects of pectin on the gut microbiota and serum metabolites in mice fed with a high fat diet and exposed to low-dose antibiotics.

A sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, and antibiotic use among other environmental factors have been associated with an increased incidence of metabolic disorders and inflammation, as well as gut dysbiosis. Pectin is an edible polysaccharide that exists widely in the cell wall of plants. Our previous study has shown that pectin with various degrees of esterification displayed different effects on preventing acute colitis and regulating the gut microbiome and serum metabolome.

Effects of boiling and steaming process on dietary fiber components and in vitro fermentation characteristics of 9 kinds of whole grains.

Whole grains (WGs) are considered as the representative sources of dietary fiber (DF). Thermal treatments can change the properties of DF, and potentially affecting the gut microbiota as well as human health. In this study, DF content and in vitro fermentation characteristics of 9 kinds of WGs (highland barley, barley, buckwheat, proso millet, quinoa, sorghum, coix seed, foxtail millet, and oats) after boiling and steaming treatments were compared.

Impact of pectin with various esterification degrees on the profiles of gut microbiota and serum metabolites.

Colitis is generally affected by multiple factors, including the dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota, and may affect organs outside colon through circulation. Pectin, which is an edible polysaccharide widely present in plant cell walls, has been proved in our previous study to possess preventive potentials against acute ulcerative colitis, especially when the esterification degree is less than 50%. This study aimed to clarify the underlying correlations of gut microbiome and serum metabolites with the preventive effects of pectin with different esterification degrees (H121, L13, and L102) against colitis in mice.

Preventive effects of pectin with various degrees of esterification on ulcerative colitis in mice.

This work investigated the physiochemical characteristics and preventive effects of purified pectin (H121, L13 and L102) with different esterification degrees on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Three doses of each type of pectin were administered to C57BL/6J mice for 7 days before the DSS treatment, with dextran and mesalazine as positive controls. Results showed that pathological factors including the body weight, the disease activity index (DAI), the colonic weight/length ratio and the organ index of the spleen were improved with pre-intervention of a high dose of L13 or L102.