Garlic-Induced Enhancement of : Enterotype-Specific Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Populations.

The gut microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem crucial for maintaining its host's health by regulating various immune and metabolic functions. Since diet plays a fundamental role in shaping the gut microbiome, understanding the relationship between food consumption and microbiome structure is essential. Although medicinal plants are widely recognized for their broad health benefits, their specific impact on the gut microbiome remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of garlic () on the gut microbiome using an in vitro human fecal incubation model. Our findings revealed that the impact of garlic on gut microbial structure varied depending on the dominant gut microbiome components (enterotypes). The -dominant enterotype exhibited significant changes in overall microbial diversity in response to garlic, while the -dominant enterotype remained unaffected. Additionally, the garlic treatment led to specific alterations in microbiota composition, such as an increase in beneficial probiotics like . We validated garlic's prebiotic potential by promoting the growth of under in vitro culture conditions. Our study highlights the importance of understanding enterotype-specific responses to diet and suggests that garlic may serve as a dietary supplement for modulating gut microbiota and promoting the growth of beneficial probiotics.