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Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Dietary Supplementation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: November 29, 2013
Polyunsaturated fatty acids from microalgae Spirulina platensis modulates lipid metabolism disorders and gut
Tian-Tian Li1, Ai-Jun Tong1, Yuan-Yuan Liu1
1College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
Abstract:
Effects of Spirulina platensis 55% ethanol extract (SPL55) on lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidaemic rats were investigated. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry indicated that SPL55 was enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids. Meanwhile, serum and liver lipid levels, including total triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, were significantly decreased in hyperlipidaemic rats of SPL55. Analysis of tissue sections showed that SPL55 treatment could markedly inhibit hepatic lipid accumulation and steatosis. Moreover, SPL55 regulated the mRNA and protein expression levels of SREBP-1c, HMG-CoA, PEPCK, ACC, and AMPK genes involved in lipid metabolism. Furthermore, SPL55 led to decrease the abundances of Turicibacter, Clostridium_XlVa, and Romboutsia, which were positive correlation with lipid metabolism indicators, and has also enriched Alloprevotella, Prevotella, Porphyromonadaceae, and Barnesiella. These results provided evidence that SPL55 might be developed as a functional food to ameliorate lipid metabolic disorders and hyperlipidaemia.
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