Polysaccharides from Lycium barbarum, yam, and sunflower ameliorate colitis in a structure and intrinsic flora-dependent manner

Polysaccharides have been suggested to ameliorate metabolic diseases. However, their differential colitis-mitigating effects in mouse models with different colony structures remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of polysaccharides from Lycium barbarum (LBP), sunflower (SP), and yam (YP) on colitis in C57BL/6 J (B6) mice born via vaginal delivery (VD) and in both caesarean section (CS)- and VD-born Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice. LBP was mainly composed of glucose (30.2 %), galactose (27.5 %), and arabinose (26.9 %). The main components of SP and YP were galacturonic acid (75.8 %) and glucose (98.1 %), respectively. Interestingly, LBP effectively alleviated body weight loss, reduced inflammatory cytokine levels, and restored intestinal barrier function in all three mouse models. Moreover, LBP decreased the abundance of norank_f__norank_o__Clostridia_UCG-014, Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002, and norank_f_Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group in B6 mice, and the abundance of these genera positively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. LBP increased the abundance of Lactobacillus, which was positively correlated with the levels of the protective factor, IL-10, in CS-born ICR mice. Collectively, our study suggests the potential application of LBP in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. We also provide an alternative method for restoring intestinal homeostasis in CS-born offspring.