Influence of Panax ginseng on obesity and gut microbiota in obese middle-aged Korean women

Abstract

Background: Gut microbiota is regarded as one of the major factors involved in the control of body weight. The antiobesity effects of ginseng and its main constituents have been demonstrated, but the effects on gut microbiota are still unknown.

Methods: To investigate the effect of ginseng on gut microbiota, 10 obese middle-aged Korean women took Panax ginseng extracts for 8 wk and assessment of body composition parameters, metabolic biomarkers, and gut microbiota composition was performed using 16S rRNA gene-based pyrosequencing at baseline and at 8 wk. Significant changes were observed in body weight and body mass index; however, slight changes were observed in gut microbiota. We divided the participants into two groups, the effective and the ineffective weight loss groups, depending on weight loss effect, in order to determine whether the antiobesity effect was influenced by the composition of gut microbiota, and the composition of gut microbiota was compared between the two groups.

Results: Prior to ginseng intake, significant differences of gut microbiota were observed between both at phyla and genera and the gut microbiota of the effective and ineffective weight loss groups was segregated on a principal coordinate analysis plot.

Conclusion: Results of this study indicate that ginseng exerted a weight loss effect and slight effects on gut microbiota in all participants. In addition, its antiobesity effects differed depending on the composition of gut microbiota prior to ginseng intake.

Keywords: Panax ginseng; gut microbiota; obesity; pyrosequencing.

Fig. 1

High performance liquid chromatography analysis of Panax ginseng extracts. Peaks: (1) Rg1; (2) Rf; and (3) Rc.

Fig. 2

The phylum and genus composition of fecal bacteria were compared between prior to and after treatment in a total of 10 participants. The relative abundance of dominant phyla identified from pyrosequencing data is shown. (A) Phylum composition of fecal bacteria. (B) Genus composition.

Fig. 3

Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) plot in a total of 10 participants. The plot shows the clustering pattern depending degree of weight loss. The participants' number and body weight change are shown. EWG, effective weight loss group; IWG, ineffective weight loss group.

Fig. 4

Rarefaction curves of (A) effective weight loss group (EWG) and (B) ineffective weight loss group (IWG) samples were compared. The rarefaction curves were obtained after obtaining a normalized read size in each sample.

Fig. 5

The phylum and genus compositions of fecal bacteria were compared between prior to and after treatment in the effective weight loss group (EWG) and ineffective weight loss group (IWG). The relative abundance of dominant phyla identified from pyrosequencing data is shown (individual samples are on the left panels and pooled samples are on the right panels). (A) Phylum composition of fecal bacteria prior to ginseng intake. (B) Genus prior to intake. (C) Phylum after intake. (D) Genus after intake.

Fig. 5

The phylum and genus compositions of fecal bacteria were compared between prior to and after treatment in the effective weight loss group (EWG) and ineffective weight loss group (IWG). The relative abundance of dominant phyla identified from pyrosequencing data is shown (individual samples are on the left panels and pooled samples are on the right panels). (A) Phylum composition of fecal bacteria prior to ginseng intake. (B) Genus prior to intake. (C) Phylum after intake. (D) Genus after intake.

Fig. 6

Principal coordinate analysis plot. The plot shows the clustering pattern between the effective weight loss group (EWG) and ineffective weight loss group (IWG) based on weighted pairwise Fast UniFrac analysis. , the community of EWG in the prior to ginseng intake; , that of EWG in the after ginseng intake, , that of IWG in the prior to ginseng intake; , that of IWG in the after ginseng intake. Unbroken circles indicate grouping of the communities in the prior to ginseng intake and broken circles indicate that in the after ginseng intake.