Integrative gut microbiota and metabolomics reveals the mechanism of chicory extract in improving metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease via gut-liver axis

Oct 22, 2025Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

How chicory extract may improve fatty liver disease by affecting gut bacteria and metabolism through the gut-liver connection

AI simplified

Abstract

Chicory extract significantly inhibited body weight gain and improved hepatic lipid deposition in mice with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

  • Chicory extract down-regulated the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes SREBP1 and SCD1 in MASLD mice.
  • The diversity and community richness of gut microbiota were significantly affected by chicory extract, suggesting its efficacy depends on gut microbiota presence.
  • Plasma taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA) was identified as a core metabolite associated with chicory extract intervention.
  • The level of TDCA was positively correlated with the abundance of microbial bile salt hydrolase, indicating a link between chicory extract and gut microbiota.
  • In vitro experiments showed that TDCA inhibited lipid accumulation in hyperlipidemic AML12 cells in a dose-dependent manner.

AI simplified

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

what lands in your inbox each week:

  • 📚7 fresh studies
  • 📝plain-language summaries
  • direct links to original studies
  • 🏅top journal indicators
  • 📅weekly delivery
  • 🧘‍♂️always free