Dietary ellagic acid inhibiting gastrointestinal pathogens by modulation of microbiome-metabolite-immune axis

doi:10.1007/s13659-025-00584-x

Natural Products and Bioprospecting ›› 2026, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (2): 21-21.DOI: 10.1007/s13659-025-00584-x

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Dietary ellagic acid inhibiting gastrointestinal pathogens by modulation of microbiome-metabolite-immune axis

Li-Na Mei¹, Jia-Shan Shen¹, Yu Duan¹, Zhuo-Qi Shi¹, Hui-Zhen Peng¹, Xiao-Dong Luo^1,2

1. Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People's Republic of China;
2. State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming, Kunming 650201, People's Republic of China

Received:2025-11-09 Online:2026-04-22 Published:2026-04-22
Contact: Xiao-Dong Luo,Email:xdluo@mail.kib.ac.cn
Supported by:
The High-level Talent Promotion and Training Project of Kunming, 2022SCP003, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. U2202212, LI-NA MEI, Project of Yunnan Characteristic Plant Screening and R&D Service CXO Platform, 2022YKZY001, LI-NA MEI.

Dietary ellagic acid inhibiting gastrointestinal pathogens by modulation of microbiome-metabolite-immune axis

Li-Na Mei¹, Jia-Shan Shen¹, Yu Duan¹, Zhuo-Qi Shi¹, Hui-Zhen Peng¹, Xiao-Dong Luo^1,2

1. Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People's Republic of China;
2. State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming, Kunming 650201, People's Republic of China

通讯作者: Xiao-Dong Luo,Email:xdluo@mail.kib.ac.cn
基金资助:
The High-level Talent Promotion and Training Project of Kunming, 2022SCP003, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. U2202212, LI-NA MEI, Project of Yunnan Characteristic Plant Screening and R&D Service CXO Platform, 2022YKZY001, LI-NA MEI.

Abstract

Abstract: Antibiotic-induced depletion of the gut microbiota facilitated the colonization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) in the gastrointestinal tract, and then increased patients' susceptibility to secondary infections. Ellagic acid, a major constituent of fruits and nuts, showed various bioactivities except for antibacterial. Interestingly, it promoted the recovery of gut microbiota, enhanced microbial diversity and stimulated the proliferation of probiotic gut microbes, and then ameliorated the overgrowth of pathogens in vivo in our experiment. Moreover, ellagic acid activated Gpr41 and Gpr43 mainly by promoting the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetic acid and propionic acid to inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway. Then the dietary supplement with ellagic acid might treat infected gut to avoid antibiotic-associated intestinal diseases, and the finding also provided a novel strategy for exploring antibacterial agent besides screening in vitro.

Key words: Ellagic acid, Gut microbiota, Short-chain fatty acids, Immune modulation

摘要： Antibiotic-induced depletion of the gut microbiota facilitated the colonization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) in the gastrointestinal tract, and then increased patients' susceptibility to secondary infections. Ellagic acid, a major constituent of fruits and nuts, showed various bioactivities except for antibacterial. Interestingly, it promoted the recovery of gut microbiota, enhanced microbial diversity and stimulated the proliferation of probiotic gut microbes, and then ameliorated the overgrowth of pathogens in vivo in our experiment. Moreover, ellagic acid activated Gpr41 and Gpr43 mainly by promoting the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetic acid and propionic acid to inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway. Then the dietary supplement with ellagic acid might treat infected gut to avoid antibiotic-associated intestinal diseases, and the finding also provided a novel strategy for exploring antibacterial agent besides screening in vitro.

关键词: Ellagic acid, Gut microbiota, Short-chain fatty acids, Immune modulation

Li-Na Mei, Jia-Shan Shen, Yu Duan, Zhuo-Qi Shi, Hui-Zhen Peng, Xiao-Dong Luo. Dietary ellagic acid inhibiting gastrointestinal pathogens by modulation of microbiome-metabolite-immune axis[J]. Natural Products and Bioprospecting, 2026, 16(2): 21-21.

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Dietary ellagic acid inhibiting gastrointestinal pathogens by modulation of microbiome-metabolite-immune axis

Dietary ellagic acid inhibiting gastrointestinal pathogens by modulation of microbiome-metabolite-immune axis

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