Oral Administration of an Opuntia ficus-indica Fruit Extract Induces Changes in Gut Microbiota Composition: Relationship with Its Anti-Obesity and Anti-Steatotic Effects in Rats Fed a High-Fat High-Fructose Diet

Abstract

Diseases such as obesity and metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) are often associated with changes in gut microbiota composition. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between the potential preventive effects of an Opuntia ficus-indica var. colorada cactus pulp extract on obesity and hepatic steatosis, and changes in gut microbiota composition, in a murine model fed a high-fat high-fructose diet. The low-dose extract was the most effective in reducing hepatic TG (-12.5%) and the weight of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (-18.4% and 11.4%, respectively), while the high dose led to improved serum lipid profile (-74.2% in TG, -37.2% in total cholesterol, -50.5% in non-HDL cholesterol and +71.7% in HDL cholesterol). Opuntia extract supplementation did not prevent the dysbiosis in gut microbiota produced by the high-fat high-fructose diet. However, modifications in its composition, consistent with an increment in both Adlercreutzia muris and Cutibacterium acnes, and a reduction in Massiliimalia timonensis, were observed. It can be proposed that these changes may contribute to the extract effects against obesity and liver steatosis. Nevertheless, further research is required to establish a direct link between the anti-obesity and anti-steatotic effects and the functionality of the bacteria modified by the treatment.

Keywords: MAFLD; Opuntia ficus-indica; bioactive compounds; high-fat high-fructose diet; microbiota; obesity.

Figure 1

Hepatic triglycerides (A) and grade of steatosis (B) in rats fed a standard diet (C group) or a high-fat high-fructose diet alone (HFHF group) or supplemented with Opuntia ficus-indica pulp extract at a dose of 25 mg/kg weight/day (L-OFI group) or 100 mg/kg weight/day (H-OFI group) for eight weeks. Data not sharing a common letter are significantly different (p < 0.05).

Figure 2

Hepatic histological study using hematoxylin and eosin staining in rats fed a standard diet (C) or a high-fat high-fructose diet alone (HFHF) or supplemented with Opuntia ficus-indica pulp extract at a dose of 25 mg/kg weight/day (L-OFI) or 100 mg/kg weight/day (H-OFI). One representative image per group is shown at 200× magnification.

Figure 3

Alpha diversity indices: (A) Chao1 and (B) Shannon in rats fed a standard diet (C) or a high-fat high-fructose diet alone (HFHF) or supplemented with Opuntia ficus-indica pulp extract at a dose of 25 mg/kg weight/day (L-OFI) or 100 mg/kg weight/day (H-OFI) for eight weeks.

Figure 4

Beta diversity analysis using PCoA of gut microbiota based on Bray–Curtis dissimilarities in rats fed a standard diet (C) or a high-fat high-fructose diet alone (HFHF) or supplemented with Opuntia ficus-indica pulp extract at a dose of 25 mg/kg weight/day (L-OFI) or 100 mg/kg weight/day (H-OFI) for eight weeks.

Figure 5

Heat plot showing Spearman’s correlations between microbiota (in rows) and serum parameters (in columns). * p-value < 0.5; ** p-value < 0.01. The p-values were adjusted by FDR (false discovery rate). We have used the combined data of the rats of the three following groups: rats fed a high-fat high-fructose diet alone (HFHF), rats supplemented with Opuntia ficus-indica pulp extract at a dose of 25 mg/kg weight/day (L-OFI) and rats supplemented with 100 mg/kg weight/day (H-OFI) for eight weeks.