Interruptins Extracted from Cyclosorus terminans Protect Gut Pathologies Induced by High-Fat Diet in Rats

The fern "Cyclosorus terminans" (C. terminans) or "Maiden Fern" contains interruptin A and interruptin B. This plant could attenuate obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver in rats fed a high-fat/calorie diet. However, the benefits of C. terminans to the gut remain unknown. We investigated the protective effect of C. terminans extract against gut dysfunction in rats exposed to a high-fat/calorie diet.

Male Wistar rats were assigned to receive either (1) a normal diet treated with vehicle, (2) a high-fat/calorie diet treated with vehicle, (3) a high-fat/calorie diet treated with 100 mg per kg per day (mg·kg^-1·day^-1) of C. terminans extract, or (4) a high-fat/calorie diet treated with 200 mg·kg^-1·day^-1 of C. terminans extract. The rats were euthanized after 12 weeks of treatment to enable feces and colon tissue collection.

Both 100 and 200 mg·kg^-1·day^-1 of C. terminans extract reduced body weight (-10.49%; p = 0.030 and -10.54%; p = 0.037, respectively) and ameliorated gut inflammation, gut barrier disruption, changes in short-chain fatty acid levels, and gut dysbiosis caused by high-fat/calorie diet.

C. terminans extract attenuated an increase in body weight and exerted prophylactic effects against gut pathologies induced by high-fat/calorie diet.