Comparison of bioactive constituents and effects on gut microbiota by in vitro fermentation between Ophicordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris

After in vitro digestion and anaerobic fermentation, both O. sinensis and C. militaris could modulate the gut microbiota composition through reducing the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. Moreover, this research demonstrated that O. sinensis had more positive effects on the intestinal
health compared with C. militaris via decreasing the pH of gut environment, stimulating the production of beneficial SCFAs and promoting the growth of beneficial genera including Phascolarctobacterium and Bifidobacterium. This trend has not been observed in C. militaris groups. Hence, our results demonstrated that C. militaris cannot replace O. sinensis completely. O. sinensis had better modulating effects on the gut microbiota compared with C. militaris. It was suggested that O. sinensis had the potential to be developed as functional foods to improve the host intestinal health. CLICK TO REVIEW