Aqueous extract of Duyun Maojian tea ameliorates the ileal microbiota and associated hepatic metabolome in HFD-induced obese mice.

Duyun Maojian tea (DYMJ), a renowned Chinese green tea, exhibits potential anti-obesity properties, though its mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated DYMJ's regulatory effects using a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model, with Xuezhikang (XZK) as a positive control (HP). Hepatic/serum biochemical parameters, histopathology, liver metabolomics and ileal microbiota were analyzed. DYMJ significantly reduced body weight, hepatic malondialdehyde, aminotransferase activity and steatosis while enhancing superoxide dismutase activity. Gut microbiota analysis revealed that HFD-induced Firmicutes phylum related to energy dysregulation and insulin resistance was modulated by DYMJ. Notably, Anaerotruncus genus abundance was positively correlated with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate level. In contrast, XZK increased the abundance of Proteobacteria, potentially exacerbating insulin resistance despite improving energy metabolism. DYMJ treatment restored microbial balance closer to normal-diet (ND) conditions, particularly by elevating nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide and enriching Bacteroidetes phylum species associated with metabolic health. These findings suggested that DYMJ mitigated obesity through dual mechanisms: alleviating oxidative stress and hepatic lipid accumulation, while reshaping gut microbiota toward a metabolic health-promoting composition. This study supports DYMJ as a safe dietary supplement for body weight management, and highlights the gut-liver axis as a pivotal target for addressing metabolic disorders.