Dicaffeoylquinic acids from Ilex kudingcha attenuate dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice in association with the modulation of gut microbiota

Abstract Kudingcha (KDC), one of herb teas in China, has been demonstrated to exhibit various health-promoting functions. In this study, the effects of dicaffeoylquinic acids (DiCQAs) from Ilex kudingcha on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and gut microbiota in mice were investigated. As results, DiCQAs could alleviate colitis disease activity index, colon shortening, colonic tissue inflammation and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and increase the level of SCFAs. Moreover, DiCQAs could modulate the gut microbiota, including increases of relative abundances of Odoribacter (from 0.06 ± 0.01% to 0.26 ± 0.05%) and Prevotella (from 0.54 ± 0.03% to 1.75 ± 0.04%), and decreases of relative abundances of Bacteroides (from 32.74 ± 0.33% to 26.16 ± 0.26%), Parasutterella (from 1.92 ± 0.06% to 1.31 ± 0.07%) and Lachnospiraceae (from 1.63 ± 0.16% to 1.16 ± 0.07%). The results suggested that DiCQAs could attenuate DSS-induced colitis which might be due to the alteration of the gut microbiota.