Polyphenolic-enriched peach peels extract regulates lipid metabolism and improves the gut microbiota composition in high fat diet-fed mice

Abstract Polyphenols possess a reduction in the risk of a number of metabolic disorders. Peach peel contains plenty of polyphenols; however, its effect on regulating lipid metabolism remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of peach peel extract (PPE) on lipid metabolism and gut microbiota composition of high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mice. HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS indicated that there were a total of 19 polyphenolic compounds in PPE. PPE significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in HFD-fed mice. Meanwhile, PPE treatment regulated mRNA expression levels involved in lipid metabolism. The results from 16S rRNA sequencing showed that PPE regulated the composition of intestinal microbiota, increasing the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, Lachnospiraceae, Prevotellaceae, Alloprevotella, Akkermansia, Roseburia, and Ruminococcus, which were positively associated with symptomatic resistance to HFD. Our findings suggested that PPE may be used as an additive of functional food to improve the lipid metabolic abnormalities associated with obesity.