The influence of pineapple consumption on gut microbiota in hypercholesterolemic rats

Abstract

Hypercholesterolemia is a metabolic abnormality that contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases. The link between gut dysbiosis and metabolic disorders is well established. Targeting the gut microbiota with probiotics or dietary fiber has the potential to lower blood cholesterol and improve gut dysbiosis. Here, we investigated the effects of pineapple consumption on the diversity of gut microbiota in hypercholesterolemic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with a high-cholesterol diet (HCD), in the presence and absence of pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) cv. Pattavia powder for 8 weeks. The rats’ fecal genomic DNA was extracted and quantified by Nanodrop spectrophotometer. The gut microbiota from the genomic DNA were analyzed by 16S rRNA metagenome sequencing. The findings revealed five enriched phyla with the genus Romboutsia being predominant among the microbiota in the rats’ guts. Feeding with the HCD resulted in the increased abundance of a pro-inflammatory Ruminococcus gnavus (phylum Firmicutes) and Bacteroides (phylum Bacteroidota) whereas a decreased abundance of Streptococcus (phylum Firmicutes) was observed. Daily consumption of pineapple showed a decrease in the Ruminococcus gnavus, Bacteroides, and an increase in Streptococcus to a level close to that of the control group. We conclude that daily consumption of pineapple has a tendency to attenuate gut dysbiosis in hypercholesterolemic rats by lipid-lowering and anti-inflammation properties.