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Updated: Oct 26, 2026

Estrogen-Like Effect of Bazi Bushen Capsule in Ovariectomized Rats
Published on: April 7, 2023
Pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila reshapes gut microbial metabolic potential and alleviates estrogen
Xiao Chen1,2, Lexuan Wang1,2, Qidong Lu3
1State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China. liyanan@njnu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss. Although the gut microbiota has emerged as an important regulator of skeletal homeostasis, it remains unclear whether therapeutic benefits require preservation of the original microbial community. We investigated the effects of pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila (pAkk) in ovariectomized rats. pAkk treatment attenuated trabecular bone loss, suppressed osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, improved intestinal barrier integrity and reduced colonic inflammation. Notably, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed no detectable enrichment of Akkermansia and no restoration of the OVX-altered microbiota to the Sham-operated state. pAkk increased fecal butyrate, with higher predicted representation of CoA-transferase-related genes and lower predicted representation of Ptb-Buk-related genes. These microbial and metabolic changes were accompanied by improvements in intestinal and bone parameters. Overall, pAkk protected against estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss and was associated with coordinated changes in gut microbial composition, predicted microbial functions and intestinal homeostasis.
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