Synergistic Effects of Fu Brick Tea Extract and Millet on Antiobesity in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice through Gut Microbiota Modulation and Activation of the Ffar2-Gcg/Pyy Molecular Pathway.

FTE-M exhibited improved digestive properties compared with millet alone, including reduced glycemic index and increased slowly digestible starch and resistant starch contents.

• The FTE-M complex showed a dense and smooth microstructure compared to millet alone.
• The improved digestive properties included a reduced glycemic index.
• Slowly digestible starch (SDS) content was increased in FTE-M relative to millet alone.
• Resistant starch (RS) content was also increased in FTE-M relative to millet alone.

FTE-M inhibited small intestinal α-amylase activity and delayed starch digestion in a 10-week high-fat diet mouse model.

• The study used a 10-week high-fat diet mouse model.
• Dietary supplementation with FTE-M inhibited small intestinal α-amylase activity.
• FTE-M delayed starch digestion in vivo.
• These effects were observed compared to high-fat diet controls.

FTE-M improved glucose and lipid metabolism while alleviating inflammation in high-fat diet-fed mice.

• FTE-M supplementation improved glucose metabolism in the 10-week high-fat diet mouse model.
• Lipid metabolism was also improved with FTE-M dietary supplementation.
• Inflammatory markers were alleviated by FTE-M treatment.
• These effects were observed over the 10-week experimental period.

FTE-M modulated gut microbiota composition and enriched SCFA-producing bacteria, including Akkermansia, leading to a 2.49-fold increase in total SCFAs.

• FTE-M modulated gut microbiota composition in high-fat diet-fed mice.
• SCFA-producing bacteria including Akkermansia were enriched by FTE-M supplementation.
• Total SCFAs increased by 2.49-fold with FTE-M supplementation.
• FTE-M also normalized bile acid profiles in treated mice.

Elevated SCFAs from FTE-M treatment were associated with activation of free fatty acid receptor 2 (Ffar2) and increased expression of glucagon (Gcg) and peptide YY (Pyy), contributing to enhanced satiety.

• The mechanistic pathway involved elevation of SCFAs activating Ffar2.
• Ffar2 activation was associated with increased expression of glucagon (Gcg).
• Ffar2 activation was also associated with increased expression of peptide YY (Pyy).
• The Ffar2-Gcg/Pyy pathway activation contributed to enhanced satiety signaling.
• These findings provide a molecular mechanism for the antiobesity effects of FTE-M.

Combining traditional millet with bioactive components from Fu brick tea extract enhanced metabolic functionality relevant to starch-based antiobesity food development.

• The study highlights the potential of combining traditional millet with bioactive components to enhance metabolic functionality.
• The findings provide a theoretical basis for developing starch-based antiobesity foods.
• Fu brick tea extract contains bioactive components that interact synergistically with millet starch.
• The combination produced synergistic antiobesity effects not observed with millet alone.