gut microbiota of mice treated with phytosterol of lotus seed core powder
Lotus seed core powder (LSP), a by-product in the mechanical coring process, is abundant in phytosterols, alkaloids, flavonoids, vitamins and other bioactive substances. Thus, this study aimed to explore the regulatory effects of LSP phytosterol extract (LSP-PE) on intestinal microbiota in high-cholesterol diet-induced C57BL/6J mice. The results showed that LSP-PE restore the disorder of intestinal flora via augmenting the Actinobacteria abundance as well as decreasing the Firmicutes /Bacteroidetes ratio and abundances of Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia to regulate cholesterol metabolism-related genes. Besides, LSP-PE possessed excellent cholesterol-lowering activity by positively regulating the gut microbiota. Therefore, this work suggested LSP phytosterol as a potential supplement to improve the gut microbiota and hypercholesterolemia.