Aged citrus peels (
chenpi) have been used as a dietary supplement for gastrointestinal health maintenance in China. Recently, it was reported to exhibit anti-
obesity activity. However, the relationship between the modulation effect of
chenpi on gut microbiota and
obesity prevention is not clearly understood. In this study, mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD), HFD supplemented with 0.25%- and 0.5%-
chenpi extract, and normal diet, respectively, for 11 weeks.
Chenpi extract significantly increased fecal
short chain fatty acids by 43% for
acetic acid and 86% for
propionic acid. In addition,
chenpi could decrease the prevalence of Proteobacteria and the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes by about 88% and 70%, respectively. Moreover, this study was the first work to demonstrate the dynamics of two beneficial bacteria-Akkermansia spp. and Allobaculum spp. in a dose- and time-dependent manner for
chenpi treatment via monitoring the dynamic change of the gut microbiota. Metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiota showed that several pathways, such as a two-component system, a tight junction,
Staphylococcus aureus infection and others, were enhanced dynamically. The improved biological process of metabolism especially in
benzoate derivatives might refer to the increased metabolic transformation of polymethoxyflavones from
chenpi in the colon. Our study indicated that the modulation effect of
chenpi on the gut microbiota may be an important pathway for its anti-
obesity mechanisms.