Issue 5, 2025

Carnosic acid reduces lipid content, enhances gut health, and modulates microbiota composition and metabolism in diet-induced obese mice

Abstract

Carnosic acid (CA) is a bioactive phenolic diterperne compound found in sage and rosemary. The present study investigated the beneficial effects of CA (50 and 100 mg per kg bw) in diet-induced obese mice and the underlying mechanisms of action. After the intervention, the physiology, lipid metabolism, and tissue morphology, as well as the inflammation, gut microbiota, and metabolomics in the colon were measured. We found that CA improved the composition and metabolism of the gut microbiota in obese mice, with Akkermansia being the dominant bacterium negatively correlated with obesity and various fecal metabolites. Regarding the intestinal barrier function, CA promoted the expression of tight junction proteins and inhibited the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in obese mice to alleviate colonic inflammation. These results suggest that CA improved multiple aspects of gut health in diet-induced obesity in mice, providing a scientific basis for future clinical studies in humans.

Graphical abstract: Carnosic acid reduces lipid content, enhances gut health, and modulates microbiota composition and metabolism in diet-induced obese mice

Transparent peer review

To support increased transparency, we offer authors the option to publish the peer review history alongside their article.

View this article’s peer review history

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
25 Sep 2024
Accepted
27 Jan 2025
First published
07 Feb 2025

Food Funct., 2025,16, 1888-1902

Carnosic acid reduces lipid content, enhances gut health, and modulates microbiota composition and metabolism in diet-induced obese mice

J. Zhang, M. Shen, Y. Yin, Y. Chen, X. Deng, J. Mo, X. Zhou, J. Lin, X. Chen, X. Xie, X. Wu and X. Chen, Food Funct., 2025, 16, 1888 DOI: 10.1039/D4FO04534C

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements