Effect of lotus seed resistant starch on small intestinal flora and bile acids in hyperlipidemic rats

Ordinary and hyperlipidemic rats were gavaged with lotus seed resistant starch (LRS), and the structure of the small intestinal flora and bile acids composition were determined for four groups of rats to construct a relationship network diagram between different bacterial genera, bile acids and blood lipid profiles, revealing a microbial mechanism for the lipid-lowering effect of LRS in hyperlipidemic rats. LRS inhibited the growth of Romboutsia, Bacillus, Blautia, norank_f__Muribaculaceae and norank_f__Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group in hyperlipidemic rats. Meanwhile LRS promoted the production of primary bile acids (CA, CDCA, β-MCA) and secondary bile acids (LCA, UDCA), and reduced the contents of TCA, Dehydro-LCA, isoLCA, LCA-3-S and THDCA in hyperlipidemic rats. Furthermore, Blautia, norank_f__Muribaculaceae and norank_f__Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group were positively correlated with Dehydro-LCA, isoLCA, TCA, LCA-3-S, TCHO, TG and LDL-C. In summary, LRS improves blood lipid levels by regulating small intestinal flora and accelerating the breakdown of cholesterol into bile acids in the liver.