Dietary Propolis Ameliorates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis and Modulates the Gut Microbiota in Rats Fed a Western Diet
by
Kai Wang 1,2,3,†
, Xiaolu Jin 4,†, Mengmeng You 2, Wenli Tian 1, Richard K. Le Leu 5, David L. Topping 3, Michael A. Conlon 3,*, Liming Wu 1,* and Fuliang Hu 2,*
Kai Wang 1,2,3,†, Xiaolu Jin 4,†, Mengmeng You 2, Wenli Tian 1, Richard K. Le Leu 5, David L. Topping 3, Michael A. Conlon 3,*, Liming Wu 1,* and Fuliang Hu 2,*
1
Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
2
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
3
CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
4
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
5
Central and Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Service, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Nutrients 2017, 9(8), 875; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080875
Received: 15 July 2017 / Revised: 8 August 2017 / Accepted: 10 August 2017 / Published: 14 August 2017
Propolis is an important hive product and considered beneficial to health. However, evidence of its potential for improving gut health is still lacking. Here we use rats to examine whether dietary supplementation with propolis could be used as a therapy for ulcerative colitis. Rats were fed with a Western style diet alone (controls) or supplemented with different amounts of Chinese propolis (0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%) to examine effects on acute colitis induced by 3% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) in drinking water. Propolis at 0.3%, but not lower levels, significantly improved colitis symptoms compared with the control group, with a less pronounced disease activity index (DAI) (p < 0.001), a significant increase in colon length/weight ratio (p < 0.05) and an improved distal colon tissue structure as assessed by histology. Although short chain fatty acid levels in digesta were not altered by propolis supplementation, 16S rRNA phylogenetic sequencing revealed a significant increase in gut microbial diversity after 21 days of 0.3% propolis supplementation compared with controls including a significant increase in bacteria belonging to the Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria phyla. This is the first study to demonstrate that propolis can attenuate DSS-induced colitis and provides new insight into diet-microbiota interactions during inflammatory bowel disease.
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Keywords:
propolis; rats; colitis; gut microbiota
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MDPI and ACS Style
Wang, K.; Jin, X.; You, M.; Tian, W.; Leu, R.K.L.; Topping, D.L.; Conlon, M.A.; Wu, L.; Hu, F. Dietary Propolis Ameliorates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis and Modulates the Gut Microbiota in Rats Fed a Western Diet. Nutrients 2017, 9, 875.
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