Arctium lappa L. root extract improved hyperlipidemia by regulating the esterase activity and gut microbiota of rats on a high-fat diet

Previous researches reported that burdock (Arctium lappa L.) root had lipid-lowering effects. The potential mechanisms needed to be further clarified. In this study, the effects and mechanisms of polyphenols (ALP) and polysaccharides (ALS) of burdock on hyperlipidemia rats were explored. The results revealed that ALP and ALS significantly inhibited the development of hyperlipidemia and reduced lipid levels in serum and liver. Meanwhile, ALP significantly decreased the activity of intestinal esterase enzyme. ALP and ALS significantly improved the imbalance of the microbiota by increasing the diversity of the intestinal microbiota and the abundance of the microbiota that produced short-chain fatty acids, and thus increased the content of acetic acid in short-chain fatty acids in the feces of hyperlipidemic rats. These results revealed that burdock played a lipid lowering effects by regulating intestinal dysbiosis due to hyperlipidemia, and ALP and ALS were the bioactive components of these effects.