Highland barley functional tea extract alleviates alcoholic liver disease by modulating gut microbiota and reducing hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation in mice

Abstract

Alcoholic liver injury is a prevalent health issue worldwide, characterized by oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota imbalance. Traditional treatments often focus on reducing alcohol intake and managing symptoms, but novel therapeutic approaches targeting gut microbiota and oxidative stress are gaining attention. Highland barley functional tea (HBFT) extract was known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but its effects on alcoholic liver injury and gut microbiota remained unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of HBFT on alcoholic liver injury and elucidated its underlying mechanisms of action. Male C57BL/6 J mice were divided into six groups (n = 12): control, model (0.2 mL/20 g per day), positive drug (0.2 mL/20 g per day), low-dose HBFT (1.4 g/kg per day), medium-dose HBFT (2.8 g/kg per day), and high-dose HBFT (5.6 g/kg per day). The findings indicated that HBFT intervention significantly inhibited the increase in ALT and AST serum levels. HBFT also enhanced the activity of enzymes and expression of proteins associated with oxidative stress, inflammatory damage, and hepatic lipid metabolism. Furthermore, HBFT promoted the proliferation of beneficial gut bacteria in mice, such as Akkermansia and Lactobacillus. Moreover, the HBFT intervention helped restore the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in mice caused by alcohol exposure. Taken together, these results suggested that HBFT extract may act as a novel gut microbiota modulator, alleviating alcoholic liver injury by restoring gut microbial balance and ameliorating hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation.