Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Canna edulis (C. edulis) and Maranta arundinacea (M. arundinacea) are potential medicinal plants. This study investigated the preventive effect of dietary fibers from C. edulis and M. arundinacea rhizomes against metabolic diseases and gut dysbiosis promoted by a high-fat diet (HFD). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Twenty-four male mice were divided into 4 groups and fed a low-fat diet, HFD, or HFD combined with 10% C. edulis fiber or M. arundinacea fiber for 12 weeks. Subsequently, the indicators of metabolic syndromes and gut microbiota composition were investigated. FINDINGS/RESULTS: C. edulis fiber effectively prevented obesity and counteracted HFD-induced dyslipidemia. C. edulis and M. arundinacea fibers prevented type 2 diabetes, but C. edulis fiber was more effective in regulating glucose tolerance and insulin than M. arundinacea. C. edulis fiber also reduced steatosis and inflammation in the liver. 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal microbiota revealed that the fibers decreased the abundance of Desulfobacterota, but only C. edulis increased Bacteroidota while decreasing Firmicutes. C. edulis fiber elevated the abundance of beneficial microbiota, including Lactobacilus reuteri, L. johnsonii, and Bacteroides fragilis, while lowering the pathogenic species Mucispirillum sp. Otherwise, M. arundinacea fiber increased the beneficial species L. murinus and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and pathogenic species Mucispirillum sp. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: C. edulis and M. arundinacea fibers exerted ameliorative effects against metabolic diseases and gut dysbiosis caused by HFD. However, C. edulis fiber was more effective than M. arundinacea. Therefore, C. edulis fiber could be a candidate for supplements preventing metabolic diseases and gut dysbiosis.