Fig Meal Replacement Powder Ameliorates Obesity, Oxidative Stress and Intestinal Microbiota in Mice Fed With High-Fat Diet

Abstract

Figs, known for their high-antioxidant capacity, have shown potential in regulating obesity. However, research on fig-based products and the mechanisms behind their effects remains limited. This study aims to systematically evaluate the potential of fig meal replacement powder (FMRP) in regulating obesity and mitigating obesity-induced oxidative stress through both in vitro and in vivo experiments, while also elucidating its underlying mechanisms. The results demonstrated that FMRP exhibited superior nutritional value and antioxidant activity compared to commercially available alternatives. Furthermore, FMRP significantly reduced weight gain, improved lipid metabolism, alleviated liver damage and oxidative stress, and positively modulated the gut microbiota in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Gut microbiota analysis showed that FMRP could restore the gut microbiota of hfd mice. For instance, it reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio. The correlation analysis has revealed the key bacterial genera related to obesity and oxidative stress. The key bacterial genera related to obesity include Desulfovibrio, Lachnoclostridium, etc., while the key bacterial genera related to oxidative stress include Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Turicibacter, etc. In conclusion, FMRP effectively alleviates oxidative stress, improves lipid metabolism, and modulates the gut microbiota, highlighting its potential as a functional food for obesity management.

Keywords: antioxidant; gut microbiota; meal replacement powder; obesity.

FIGURE 1

Effects of FMRP on Basic Indicators in Obese Mice (a) Dynamic body weight change curve, (b) Body weight variation in mice, (c) Average food intake, (d) Energy conversion efficiency, and (e) Lee's index. All data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (n = 7). Different letters above the bars indicate statistically significant differences (p < 0.05), which also apply to the subsequent figures.

FIGURE 2

Effects of FMRP on Blood Lipids and Liver Function in Mice(a) TC levels, (b) TG levels, (c) LDL‐C levels, (d) HDL‐C levels, (e) ALT levels, and (f) AST levels. Different letters indicate significant differences at the p < 0.05 level for each column.

FIGURE 3

Effects of FMRP on Liver Lipid Accumulation in Mice (a) Liver tissue sections (×100), (b) Liver weight, (c) TC content in the liver, (d) TG content in the liver, (e) LDL‐C content in the liver, and (f) HDL‐C content in the liver. Different letters indicate significant differences at the p < 0.05 level for each column.

FIGURE 4

Effects of FMRP on Oxidative Stress Damage and Inflammatory Response in Mice (a) SOD enzyme activity, (b) CAT enzyme activity, (c) GSH‐PX content, (d) MDA content in the liver, (e) GSH content in the liver, (f) TNF‐α content in the blood, and (g) IL‐6 content in the blood. Different letters indicates significant differences at the p < 0.05 level for each column.

FIGURE 5

Effects of FMRP on Gut Microbiota in Mice (a) Venn diagram, (b) PCA analysis, (c) Ace index, (d) Chao1 index, (e) Simpson index, and (f) Sobs index. All data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (n = 3). Different letters above the bars indicate statistically significant differences (p < 0.05), which also apply to the subsequent figures.

FIGURE 6

Effects of Meal Replacement on Gut Microbiota Structure in Mice (a) Phylum level, (b) Genus level, (c) F/B ratio, (d) Enterococcus, (e) Staphylococcus, (f) Bifidobacterium, (g) Lachnospiraceae, (h) Lactobacillus, and (i) Heatmap clustering analysis. Different letters indicate significant differences at the p < 0.05 level for each column.

FIGURE 7

Correlation Analysis Between Obesity Traits and Gut Microbiota (a) Correlation between obesity traits and gut microbiota at the phylum level, and (b) Correlation between obesity traits and gut microbiota at the genus level. * indicates p < 0.05, ** indicates p < 0.01, and *** indicates p < 0.001.