Human gut microbiome modulation and butyrogenic effects of fucoidan from Sargassum binderi: A prebiotic activity in in vitro simulated digestion and human fecal fermentation.

The fucoidan extract from Sargassum binderi, a brown algae-derived marine polysaccharide, is rich in fucose, and are a potent candidate for functional food, and nutraceutical applications. This study uniquely investigated the prebiotic potential of S. binderi fucoidan through in vitro simulated digestion and human fecal fermentation. The fucoidan extract demonstrated higher resistance to simulated upper gastrointestinal digestion (88.27 %) than inulin (81.13 %), allowing a substantial portion to reach the colon, which was metabolized by gut microbiota into beneficial metabolites. Fucoidan selectively modulated the gut microbiome by increasing the relative abundance of Megamonas and decreasing Bacteroides. Our current findings proved that the Megamonas enrichment, a carbohydrate-fermenting genus, contributed to a substantial rise in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, including butyric acid (10.24-fold), acetic acid (5.89-fold), and propionic acid (4.92-fold), higher than those produced by inulin, indicating a strong butyrogenic effect. These microbiome shifts and enhanced SCFA production suggest that S. binderi fucoidan may help maintain gut microbiome balance. Overall, the current findings highlight the potential of S. binderi-derived fucoidan to formulate functional foods with a butyrogenic effect, for promoting gut health.