Lipid-Lowering Mechanism of Cherry Radish Polysaccharides in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice

Obesity has become a major global health issue, but conventional pharmacological and surgical weight-loss interventions often produce undesirable side effects. Targeting obesity by modulating the intestinal microbiota through diet has gained research interest. This study aimed to clarify the lipid-lowering and microbiota-modulating effects of cherry radish polysaccharides (CRPs) in mice with high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemia. CRPs effectively alleviated HFD-induced metabolic disorders, including obesity, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and systemic inflammation. Specifically, CRPs reduced body weight, blood lipid levels, liver weight, and abdominl fat; it also improved abnormal expressions of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-6, and LPS. Moreover, CRPs improved hepatic oxidative stress-related indicators, including SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px. After CRPs intervention, the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria significantly increased at both the family and genus levels. First, at the family level, the relative abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae increased from 4.22% in the HFD group to 10.37% after CRPs intervention; at the genus level, the relative abundances of Muribaculum sp. and Faecalibaculum increased from 17.91% and 3.64% in the HFD group to 23.96% and 10.14% after CRPs intervention, respectively. Current research has demonstrated that the bacterial families Erysipelotrichaceae and Muribaculum sp. are capable of producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including acetate, propionate, and butyrate. These SCFAs can enhance the activity of the β-oxidation pathway, thereby mediating the lipid-lowering effects of CRPs. In conclusion, CRPs exert lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity effects, likely through remodeling the intestinal microbiota. These findings provide a theoretical basis for formulating dietary strategies and promoting the high-value utilization of cherry radishes.