Effect of aqueous Cinnamomum cassia extracts on gastrointestinal Clostridium cluster IV and Bacteroides in rats

Objective:To explore the impact of aqueous Cinnamomum cassia (C.cassia) extracts on gut microbiota.Methods:The colon and rectal contents were sampled after rats had been orally administrated the aqueous extracts for one month.Clostridium cluster IV and Bacteroides in the samples were analyzed by the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (tRFLP) method based on the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and nucleotide sequencing.Result:The aqueous C.cassia extracts could down-regulate the amount of microbiota of Clostridium cluster IV in rat gut, along with the increase of microbiota of Bacteroides.Various effects were exerted by the extracts on microbiota in colon and rectum, and the impact presented heavier in rectum.Conclusion:These variations of rat gut microbiota induced by the aqueous C.cassia extracts may reflect the functions of anti-obese and anti-dyspepsia of C.cassia.