Polysaccharides Extracted from Old Stalks of Asparagus officinalis L. Improve Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver by Increasing the Gut Butyric Acid Content and Improving Gut Barrier Function

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ranks among
the most prevalent
chronic liver diseases worldwide, yet effective treatments remain
scarce. Old stalks of Asparagus officinalis L. are rich in polysaccharides. The anti-NAFLD mechanism of polysaccharides
from old stalks of A. officinalis (AP)
requires further study. Here, we studied the effects of AP on NAFLD
mice and its impact on the gut microbiota. AP intervention reduces
blood lipids and liver lipids and reduces liver injury and inflammation
in mice with NAFLD. Moreover, AP intervention changed gut microbiota
composition and increased the abundances of butyric acid-producing
bacteria, thereby increasing plasma concentration of butyric acid.
Furthermore, AP intervention regulated the AMPK/SREBPs signaling pathway,
thereby affecting hepatic lipid synthesis. Additionally, AP intervention
improved gut barrier function and reduced plasma LPS levels, which
subsequently inhibited the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway,
thereby alleviating inflammation in NAFLD model mice. Importantly,
fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) outcomes demonstrated that AP-induced
changes in the gut microbiota impact the AMPK/SREBPs and LPS/TLR4/NF-κB
pathways. These data suggest that AP intervention ameliorates NAFLD
by regulating the gut microbiota. These research provides a scientific
foundation for the use of the stalks of A. officinalis in the treatment of NAFLD.