Gut microbiome-modulating properties of a polyphenol-enriched dietary supplement comprised of hibiscus and lemon verbena extracts. Monitoring of phenolic metabolites

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of a polyphenol-enriched supplement comprised of hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and lemon verbena (Lippia Citriodora) (brand name Metabolaid®) on gut microbiota composition and functionality, by performing fermentations with human faecal microbiota under gut-simulated conditions. Results indicated that Metabolaid®, in a dose-dependent manner, modulated the gut bacteriome to higher relative abundances of some major genera (>3% of relative abundance) such as Bifidobacterium, Blautia and Faecalibacterium and of other minor genera such as Prevotella and Akkermansia. Metabolaid® also promoted increases in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production, particularly butyric acid. On the other hand, it was confirmed that the compounds present in the Metabolaid® supplement (anthocyanins, verbascoside and hibiscus acid) were rapidly metabolized by the gut microbiota. Overall, these results reveal a certain level of gut microbiota-modulating properties of Metabolaid® that could be implicated, at least partially, in the mechanisms behind the potential beneficial effects of this supplement in obesity.