Regulatory Effect of Weizmannia coagulans CGMCC 9951 on Intestinal Flora in Mice with Alcoholic Liver Disease

Objective: The mitigative effect of Weizmannia coagulans CGMCC 9951 on alcohol-induced liver injury and its regulatory effect on intestinal microbiota were investigated. Methods: An alcohol-induced liver injury mouse model was established, and Weizmannia coagulans CGMCC 9951 was intervened at low, medium, and high doses for 4 weeks. Behavioral, physiological, biochemical, and antioxidant indicators were measured, and the changes in the intestinal microbiota were analyzed. Results: Weizmannia coagulans CGMCC 9951 significantly prolonged the drunk incubation period, alleviated alcohol-induced organ index abnormalities, lowered serum ALT and AST levels, and improved the antioxidant capacity of the liver in mice (P<0.05). The analysis of microbial diversity showed significant differences in the microbial structure among groups. At the phylum level, intervention of Weizmannia coagulans CGMCC 9951 increased the abundance of Firmicutes and decreased the abundance of Verrucomicrobiota. At the genus level, the abundance of beneficial genera Lactobacillus and Eubacteria increased, while the abundance of pathogenic genus Enterobacter decreased. Functional prediction showed that Weizmannia coagulans CGMCC 9951 might play a role through tryptophan metabolism and butanoate metabolism pathways. Conclusion: Weizmannia coagulans CGMCC 9951 may improve alcoholic liver injury by enhancing antioxidant capacity, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the gut, reducing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria, and maintaining the stability of the gut microbiota.