Medicinal Plant Research 2025, Vol.15, No.1, 1-11 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 7 5.3 Prebiotic effects of G. lucidumpolysaccharides (GLPs) in a human intestinal microbial ecosystem In recent years, the prebiotic potential of G. lucidumpolysaccharides (GLPs) has garnered increasing attention. Prebiotics can promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes, regulate the host's intestinal environment, and provide health benefits (Guo et al., 2021; Sang et al., 2021). To better understand the metabolic and microbial regulatory effects of GLPs in the gut, a study employed the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) to evaluate the impact of GLPs on human fecal microbiota. The results showed that GLPs served as a carbon source for gut microbiota, significantly increasing the production of short-chain fatty acids (such as acetic, propionic, and butyric acids) and lowering intestinal pH, thus inhibiting the growth of potential pathogens (Yang et al., 2022). GLPs also modulated the gut microbiota, notably enhancing the abundance of Bacteroidetes, particularly enriching Bacteroides ovatus and B. uniformis, which are closely associated with improved metabolic function and enhanced immune regulation (Figure 3). Figure 3 LEfSe analysis and PICRUSt2 analysis of microbiota between the GLP group and the BLK group at ASV level. (A) LDA scores with corresponding phylum, genus and species (LDA score>4.0 was shown) and (B) Cladogram of the bacteria taxa. (C) LDA scores of differential metabolic pathways. BLK, blank group; GLP, polysaccharides from fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum (Adopted from Yang et al., 2022) Image caption: The figure shows the impact of G. lucidum polysaccharides (GLPs) on gut microbial metabolic functions and the abundance of specific bacterial taxa. Figures A and B, analyzed by LEfSe, demonstrate that the GLP group significantly enriched Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, while the control group showed enrichment of Firmicutes and Fusobacteria. Figure C presents the PICRUSt2 functional analysis, indicating significant differences in metabolic pathways, such as glycogen degradation and secondary metabolite synthesis, between the GLP group and the control group. These results reveal that GLPs not only alter microbial composition but also significantly affect their metabolic functions, confirming their potential in regulating gut metabolic health (Adapted from Yang et al., 2022)
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