Baicalin regulates gut microbiota i

Baicalin regulates gut microbiota imbalance induced by high-fat dietTo determine the relationship between baicalin and the gut microbiota, bacterial DNA from mouse fecal samples was amplified by PCR,and variable region 3 (V3) of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced usingthe Illumina HiSeq platform. Sequence quality statistics were assessedusing R software, and the length of the sequences contained in allsamples was calculated. Component analysis showed a variety of gutmicroflora at different levels. The microbiota heat map included 120different operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Compared to the NDgroup, the HFD group had 111 OTUs that were changed. Moreover, 90OTUs were changed in the HFDB group. Mice treated with baicalin had50 OTUs, which exhibited a change in the same direction as the OTUs inthe ND group (Fig. 3A). These results indicate that baicalin was effective in regulating the intestinal microbiota in the model.Diversity analysis showed the differences and distances for eachsample. PCA revealed a clear separation between the four different setsof samples. The microbiota of HFDB mice was similar to that of the NDgroup, consistent with a previous compositional analysis (Fig. 3B). Atthe genus level, the high-fat diet reduced the abundance ofAkkermansia, Coprococcus, and Ruminococcus and increased theabundance of Odoribacter and Parabacteroides (Fig. 3C). Under theeffect of drug intervention, the normal composition of the microbiotawas significantly restored, indicating that baicalin has significant effects on microbial population changes in high-fat mice. Thus, baicalincan effectively regulate the abundance of changes in the microbialpopulation, forming a composition of gut microbiota similar to that innormal control mice.