Finding gut bacteria that break down choline and testing substances that block their trimethylamine production

TMA levels were significantly decreased when treated with β-sitosterol and resveratrol.

• Gut microbiota can convert choline to trimethylamine (TMA), which is then transformed into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• Choline-degrading bacteria were isolated from healthy human feces and identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae.
• An in silico and in vitro platform was established to screen for TMA-lyase inhibitors from Chinese herbal medicines.
• The inhibitory effects of selected compounds, β-sitosterol and resveratrol, were evaluated using K. pneumoniae as a bioassay indicator.
• This research demonstrates the potential of β-sitosterol and resveratrol to inhibit gut microbiota-mediated choline metabolism.

Simplified