Effect of virgin coconut oil supplementation on the microbiota composition in rats

Abstract

Coconut is known as one of the most popular natural sources of fatty acids of short and medium chains with lauric acid as dominant. Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is considered to have anti-obesity effect, and additionally antimicrobial due to presence of lauric acid. The intestine microbiota consists of diverse populations of facultative and obligatory anaerobic microorganisms with a wide range of metabolic activities that provide essential nutrients for the host. Its disturbance is associated with different health disorders. Consequently, investigation of foods influence on its recovery is in great expansion. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of VCO on the gut microbiota composition changes in non-diabetic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The experimental model was compiled of four groups of rats, differing from each other by the combinations of alloxan (Alx) and VCO treatments. Abundance and composition of the caecal microbiota was comparatively investigated in vitro, under the 16S rDNA NGS sequencing illumina platform. VCO supplementation was positively correlated with families Lactobacillaceae (Lactobacillus) and Erysiphelotrichaceae (Allobaculum), whiles the effect on Prevotelaceae (Prevotella) was clearly depended on the glycemic status: in healthy animals VCO extremely decreased its abundance, but in diabetic ones the effect was opposite. Interestingly, Bifidobacteriaceae (Bifidobacterium) with an extremely high percentage was observed only in VCO group, indicating positive effect of VCO. On the other side, the reducing effect on Spirochaetaceae family (Treponema) was observed in VCO and Alx+VCO groups, and additionally on Turicibacteriaceae (Turicibacter) in VCO group. In conclusion, in rat model we proved the positive effect of virgin coconut oil on the caecum microbiome, with a significant increase in the abundance of beneficial Lactobacillus, Allobaculum and Bifidobacteria species.