In recent years, biologically active ingredients derived from natural plants or functional foods have raised considerable interests for its anti-obesity effect. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a traditional staple food in the Andean regions of Peru which contains a variety of bioactive components. This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effect of total saponins extracted from quinoa bran (TSQ) on obese rats and explore whether the underlying mechanism is related to intestinal microbiota. Results showed that TSQ could decrease the body weight gain and visceral fat accumulation in the obese rats. Moreover, trends in ameliorating insulin resistance and improved glucose tolerance were observed. Indeed, Pearson's correlations analysis revealed that the variation in gut microbial composition was highly correlated to insulin resistance, IL-6, and LPS levels. Collectively, these results suggest that the prevention of obesity and inflammation by TSQ may be mediated by the modulation of gut microbial composition.
Keywords: inflammation; insulin resistance; intestinal flora; metabolic endotoxemia; quinoa saponins.
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