Vital Organ Protection and Hypolipidemic Activities of Lactobacillus Species Isolated from Ogi on Rats With Imbalance Gut Microbiota

ABSTRACT The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism, inflammation, and gut barrier function. This study aimed to investigate gut microbiota metabolic activities, gut motility, and intestinal permeability in experimental rats by analyzing fecal fatty acid composition and microbial populations across nine experimental groups. The study further examined how variations in microbial fermentation and metabolic pathways influence gut health under different experimental conditions. The fecal fatty acid composition analysis revealed distinct patterns across the groups. Methyl myristoleate levels ranged from 4.04 to 4.30 µg/g, while methyl tetradecanoate varied between 3.60 and 3.68 µg/g, indicating consistent microbial lipid metabolism. Arachidonic acid levels showed greater variability (2.02–3.86 µg/g), suggesting that certain groups exhibited heightened inflammatory or metabolic responses. Similarly, tridecanoic acid concentrations ranged from 2.07 to 2.15 µg/g, highlighting active microbial fermentation. The omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were detected at relatively low levels, with EPA ranging from 0.11 to 1.90 µg/g and DHA from 0.70 to 0.89 µg/g, reflecting limited microbial conversion of these essential fatty acids. Intestinal permeability assessment indicated significant group-specific differences in gut barrier integrity. Groups 1, 8, and 9 exhibited low permeability values (0.028–0.029), suggesting optimal gut barrier function. In contrast, Groups 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 showed increased permeability, with Group 7 displaying the highest value (0.121 ± 0.020), indicating potential gut barrier compromise. These results suggest that microbial composition and metabolic activity directly impact intestinal integrity. Microbial population analysis, expressed in colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL), revealed lower microbial concentrations in Groups 1–4 (5.0 × 10³ to 8.8 × 10³ CFU/mL), while Groups 5–9 exhibited significantly higher bacterial counts (22.4 × 10³ to 27.4 × 10³ CFU/mL). This suggests that microbial proliferation was influenced by experimental conditions, potentially affecting gut metabolic processes.