Dietary purslane modulates gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging rats
IntroductionPortulaca oleracea L. (purslane) is a highly nutritious and edible wild vegetable beneficial to human health. However, its impacts on the structure of gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging individuals remain unclear. This study aims to clarify its potential mechanisms in aging-re...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1549853/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850027534267187200 |
|---|---|
| author | Jingwen Deng Jingwen Deng Xia Wang Can Yan Can Yan Zicheng Huang Hui Luo Caihua Dai Xiaoliu Huang Xiaoliu Huang Yushan Huang Qiang Fu Qiang Fu |
| author_facet | Jingwen Deng Jingwen Deng Xia Wang Can Yan Can Yan Zicheng Huang Hui Luo Caihua Dai Xiaoliu Huang Xiaoliu Huang Yushan Huang Qiang Fu Qiang Fu |
| author_sort | Jingwen Deng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionPortulaca oleracea L. (purslane) is a highly nutritious and edible wild vegetable beneficial to human health. However, its impacts on the structure of gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging individuals remain unclear. This study aims to clarify its potential mechanisms in aging-related gut health.MethodsNaturally aged rats (18 months) were divided into two groups. One group was fed a maintenance chow, and the other was fed a mixture with 3.5% purslane for 15 weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing were employed to explore the effects of purslane on the intestinal health of these rats.ResultsThe fecal concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were significantly increased in aging rats fed the purslane supplement. Purslane significantly reduced the relative abundance levels of Firmicutes and Fusobacteria, as well as the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. KEGG pathway analysis annotated 109 differential metabolites, which mainly affected metabolic pathways such as linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis, steroid biosynthesis, and steroid hormone biosynthesis. There was a strong correlation between Paracbacteroides, the Prevotella NK3B31_group, the Rikenella_RC9_gut_group, and SCFA levels. Aging rats consuming purslane had a more complete and healthy gut morphology than the control group.DiscussionThese results suggested that the maintenance of intestinal health by purslane in aging rats might be associated with the targeted regulation of gut microbiota and fecal metabolites. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d269fd8092ca499abf98ea819facf39b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d269fd8092ca499abf98ea819facf39b2025-08-20T03:00:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-03-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.15498531549853Dietary purslane modulates gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging ratsJingwen Deng0Jingwen Deng1Xia Wang2Can Yan3Can Yan4Zicheng Huang5Hui Luo6Caihua Dai7Xiaoliu Huang8Xiaoliu Huang9Yushan Huang10Qiang Fu11Qiang Fu12Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, ChinaJiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Epigenetics, Clinical Medical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Medical Department of Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, ChinaDepartment of Pathology, Ji'an Central People's Hospital, Ji'an, ChinaAffiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, ChinaJiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Epigenetics, Clinical Medical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Medical Department of Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, ChinaCollege of Mathematics and Physics, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, ChinaJiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Epigenetics, Clinical Medical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Medical Department of Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, ChinaAffiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, ChinaAffiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, ChinaJiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Epigenetics, Clinical Medical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Medical Department of Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, ChinaCenter for Evidence Based Medical and Clinical Research, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, ChinaAffiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, ChinaJiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Epigenetics, Clinical Medical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Medical Department of Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, ChinaIntroductionPortulaca oleracea L. (purslane) is a highly nutritious and edible wild vegetable beneficial to human health. However, its impacts on the structure of gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging individuals remain unclear. This study aims to clarify its potential mechanisms in aging-related gut health.MethodsNaturally aged rats (18 months) were divided into two groups. One group was fed a maintenance chow, and the other was fed a mixture with 3.5% purslane for 15 weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing were employed to explore the effects of purslane on the intestinal health of these rats.ResultsThe fecal concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were significantly increased in aging rats fed the purslane supplement. Purslane significantly reduced the relative abundance levels of Firmicutes and Fusobacteria, as well as the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. KEGG pathway analysis annotated 109 differential metabolites, which mainly affected metabolic pathways such as linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis, steroid biosynthesis, and steroid hormone biosynthesis. There was a strong correlation between Paracbacteroides, the Prevotella NK3B31_group, the Rikenella_RC9_gut_group, and SCFA levels. Aging rats consuming purslane had a more complete and healthy gut morphology than the control group.DiscussionThese results suggested that the maintenance of intestinal health by purslane in aging rats might be associated with the targeted regulation of gut microbiota and fecal metabolites.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1549853/fullgut microbiotametabolitesintestinal healthaging ratspurslane |
| spellingShingle | Jingwen Deng Jingwen Deng Xia Wang Can Yan Can Yan Zicheng Huang Hui Luo Caihua Dai Xiaoliu Huang Xiaoliu Huang Yushan Huang Qiang Fu Qiang Fu Dietary purslane modulates gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging rats Frontiers in Microbiology gut microbiota metabolites intestinal health aging rats purslane |
| title | Dietary purslane modulates gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging rats |
| title_full | Dietary purslane modulates gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging rats |
| title_fullStr | Dietary purslane modulates gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dietary purslane modulates gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging rats |
| title_short | Dietary purslane modulates gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging rats |
| title_sort | dietary purslane modulates gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in aging rats |
| topic | gut microbiota metabolites intestinal health aging rats purslane |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1549853/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jingwendeng dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT jingwendeng dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT xiawang dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT canyan dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT canyan dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT zichenghuang dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT huiluo dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT caihuadai dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT xiaoliuhuang dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT xiaoliuhuang dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT yushanhuang dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT qiangfu dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats AT qiangfu dietarypurslanemodulatesgutmicrobiotaandfecalmetabolitesinagingrats |