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Topical Area: Aging and Chronic Disease

Aging and Chronic Disease (Poster Session)

(P23-042-23) Effect of Berries, Phytochemicals, and Probiotics on Atherosclerosis Through Gut Microbiota Modification: A Metanalysis of Animal Studies

Monday, July 24, 2023
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board 40

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Leila Khalili, PhD student

    PhD student and graduate research assistant
    Florida State University
    Tallahassee, Florida, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • GS

    Gloria Salazar, Dr, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Florida State University
    Tallahassee, Florida, United States

Disclosure(s):
Leila Khalili: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Atherosclerosis and its associated cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are major causes of death and disability. The beneficial effects of phytochemicals and probiotics on atherosclerosis has been recognized as they can improve inflammation, oxidative stress, and microbiome dysbiosis. The aim of the current research was to investigate the effects of polyphenols, alkaloids, and probiotics on atherosclerosis, using a meta-analysis of studies on mouse models of atherosclerosis.

Methods: Online databases PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Science Direct were searched until November 2022 to find eligible articles. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria in which 17 studies evaluated effects of phytochemicals including polyphenols and alkaloids and 9 studies evaluated effects of probiotics on atherosclerosis plaque size in mice.

Results: The results showed that berries (rich sources of polyphenols), polyphenols, and berberine (an alkaloid) could reduce atherosclerosis plaque size (SMD = -7.31 (95% CI: -12.61 to -2.02)), which was significant in male mice, but not in females. Probiotics on the other hand showed significant reductions of plaque size (SMD = -3.98 (95% CI: -6.29 to -1.68)) that was significant in both sexes. Berries and phytochemicals modulated gut microbial composition by reducing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio and by upregulating health-promoting bacteria, including Akkermansia muciniphila. Moreover, sub-group analysis showed that sufficient duration for induction of significant changes in the microbiome and plaque burden is at least 4 weeks for phytochemicals and 8 weeks for probiotics.

Conclusions: This analysis suggests that phytochemicals and probiotics can reduce atherosclerosis in animal models, with a potentially greater effect on male animals. In addition to their direct effect on cardiometabolic health, phytochemicals could affect aortic plaque size through modulation of gut microbiota composition, as well as probiotics consumption. So, consumption of functional foods rich in phytochemicals as well as probiotics are likely to improve gut health and reduce plaque burden in patients suffering from CVD.

Funding Sources: This research was supported by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA-AFRI, GRANT124444832) and the Florida Department of Health, James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program (9JK01).