title: Effects of Ligustrum robustum on gut microbes and obesity in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the anti-obesity and antibacterial effects of Ligustrum robustum (L. robustum) in vivo and in vitro and its possible mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of L. robustum aqueous extract (LR) on various gut bacteria in vitro were evaluated. The effects of LR on high-fat diet-fed (HFD) rats in vivo were also assessed. Culture methods, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism were used to analyze the effects of LR on gut bacteria. Biochemical tests were also performed to detect the changes in obesity-related indicators after LR treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LR treatment lowered adipose weight and decreased Lee's index, blood glucose, total cholesterol, and lipid in the tested groups relative to control (P < 0.05). To determine the reasons for these changes, we assessed the potential bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects of LR on specific bacterial species in vitro. LR affected the richness, diversity, and evenness of gut bacteria, increased fecal Lactobacillus, and decreased Enterococci in HFD rats (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  L. robustum may be a safe and effective food for weight loss and obesity control, and the effects of L. robustum might be mediated by the regulation of gut bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Mei Xie, Tao Zhou, Hong-Yu Liao, Qian Ye, Shan Liu, Hao-Jiang Zuo, Xiao-Fang Pei, Department of Laboratory Science of Public Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Mei
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Mei Xie, Tao Zhou, Hong-Yu Liao, Qian Ye, Shan Liu, Hao-Jiang Zuo, Xiao-Fang Pei, Department of Laboratory Science of Public Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Mei Xie, Tao Zhou, Hong-Yu Liao, Qian Ye, Shan Liu, Hao-Jiang Zuo, Xiao-Fang Pei, Department of Laboratory Science of Public Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Mei Xie, Tao Zhou, Hong-Yu Liao, Qian Ye, Shan Liu, Hao-Jiang Zuo, Xiao-Fang Pei, Department of Laboratory Science of Public Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Mei Xie, Tao Zhou, Hong-Yu Liao, Qian Ye, Shan Liu, Hao-Jiang Zuo, Xiao-Fang Pei, Department of Laboratory Science of Public Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Mei Xie, Tao Zhou, Hong-Yu Liao, Qian Ye, Shan Liu, Hao-Jiang Zuo, Xiao-Fang Pei, Department of Laboratory Science of Public Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Mei Xie, Tao Zhou, Hong-Yu Liao, Qian Ye, Shan Liu, Hao-Jiang Zuo, Xiao-Fang Pei, Department of Laboratory Science of Public Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Mei Xie, Tao Zhou, Hong-Yu Liao, Qian Ye, Shan Liu, Hao-Jiang Zuo, Xiao-Fang Pei, Department of Laboratory Science of Public Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Hao-Jiang
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Mei Xie, Tao Zhou, Hong-Yu Liao, Qian Ye, Shan Liu, Hao-Jiang Zuo, Xiao-Fang Pei, Department of Laboratory Science of Public Health, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Fang
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Pei
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000187:drug effects*; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D031659:Ligustrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Culture methods; Gut bacteria; Ligustrum robustum; Obesity; Quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism