Ginger essential oil and citral ameliorates atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− mice by modulating trimethylamine-N-oxide and gut microbiota

• Published in: NPJ science of food Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 19 - 10
• Main Authors: Panyod, Suraphan, Wu, Wei-Kai, Peng, Sin-Yi, Tseng, Yea-Jing, Hsieh, Ya-Chi, Chen, Rou-An, Huang, Huai-Syuan, Chen, Yi-Hsun, Chuang, Hsiao-Li, Hsu, Cheng-Chih, Shen, Ting-Chin David, Yang, Kai-Chien, Ho, Chi-Tang, Wu, Ming-Shiang, Sheen, Lee-Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 20.05.2023; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 692/4020/2741/2135; 692/699/75/593/2100; 692/700/2814; Abundance; Amylin; Aorta; Apolipoprotein E; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Bioactive compounds; Cardiovascular diseases; Carnitine; Chemical composition; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Citral; Diet; Dietary supplements; Dysbacteriosis; Essential oils; Food Microbiology; Food Science; Ginger; Health services; Heart diseases; Inflammation; Insulin; Insulin resistance; Interleukins; Intestinal microflora; Lipids; Metabolism; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Nutrition; Oils & fats; Thromboembolism; Thrombosis; Trimethylamine; Trimethylamine-N-oxide
• ISSN: 2396-8370; 2396-8370
• DOI: 10.1038/s41538-023-00196-0

Recently, the role of the gut microbiota in diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), has gained considerable research attention. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), which is formed during ʟ-carnitine metabolism, promotes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, causing thrombosis. Here, we elucidated the anti-atherosclerotic effect and mechanism of ginger ( Zingiber officinale Roscoe) essential oil (GEO) and its bioactive compound citral in Gubra Amylin NASH (GAN) diet with ʟ-carnitine-induced atherosclerosis female ApoE −/− mice. Treatment with GEO at both low and high doses and citral inhibited the formation of aortic atherosclerotic lesions, improved plasma lipid profile, reduced blood sugar, improved insulin resistance, decreased plasma TMAO levels, and inhibited plasma inflammatory cytokines, especially interleukin-1β. Additionally, GEO and citral treatment modulated gut microbiota diversity and composition by increasing the abundance of beneficial microbes and decreasing the abundance of CVD-related microbes. Overall, these results showed that GEO and citral may serve as potential dietary supplements for CVD prevention by improving gut microbiota dysbiosis.