High-dose Glycerol Monolaurate Up-Regulated Beneficial Indigenous Microbiota without Inducing Metabolic Dysfunction and Systemic Inflammation: New Insights into Its Antimicrobial Potential.

Abstract

Glycerol monolaurate (GML) has potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. The present study aimed to assess the dose-dependent antimicrobial-effects of GML on the gut microbiota, glucose and lipid metabolism and inflammatory response in C57BL/6 mice. Mice were fed on diets supplemented with GML at dose of 400, 800 and 1600 mg kg for 4 months, respectively. Results showed that supplementation of GML, regardless of the dosages, induced modest body weight gain without affecting epididymal/brown fat pad, lipid profiles and glycemic markers. A high dose of GML (1600 mg kg) showed positive impacts on the anti-inflammatory TGF-β1 and IL-22. GML modulated the indigenous microbiota in a dose-dependent manner. It was found that 400 and 800 mg kg GML improved the richness of , whereas a high dosage of GML (1600 mg kg) significantly increased the relative abundances of , and . The present work indicated that GML could upregulate the favorable microbial taxa without inducing systemic inflammation and dysfunction of glucose and lipid metabolism.