Phenolics from noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) fruit alleviate obesity in high fat diet-fed mice via modulating the gut microbiota and mitigating intestinal damage

Noni fruit has certain anti-obesity effect. However, the bioactive ingredients in noni fruit that contribute to anti -obesity activity as well as the relation between its anti-obesity activity and gut microbiota remain unclear. In this study, obese mice induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and were intervened with noni fruit phenolic extract (NFE) for 10 weeks. The results showed NFE supplementation decreased body weight, lipid accumulation in liver and a-dipose tissues, ameliorated gut microbiota dysbiosis by increasing short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria and decreasing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-producing bacteria, and mitigated intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress. Moreover, NFE supplementation improved intestinal barrier dysfunction by elevating the pro-tein expression levels of Claudin-1, Occludin and ZO-1, alleviated the HFD-induced intestinal inflammation by repressing the LPS/TLR4/NF-kappa B pathway. Collectively, the findings revealed NFE intervention inhibits obesity by improving gut microbiota disorder, barrier function, and inflammation. Hence, NFE may be an effective way to ameliorate HFD-induced damage.

Automated summary

The phenolic extract of noni fruit (NFE) inhibits obesity by improving gut microbiota disorder, barrier function, and inflammation.