ScopeThis multi‐omic study investigates the bidirectional interactions between gut microbiota and silymarin metabolism, highlighting the differential effects across various age groups. Silymarin, the extract from Silybum marianum (milk thistle), is commonly used for its hepatoprotective effects.Methods and resultsAn in vitro fermentation colon model was used with microbiota from 20 stool samples obtained from healthy donors divided into two age groups. A combination of three analytical advanced techniques, namely proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), next‐generation sequencing (NGS), and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) was used to determine silymarin microbial metabolites over 24 h, overall metabolome, and microbiota composition. Silymarin at a low diet‐relevant dose of 50 µg mL−1 significantly altered gut microbiota metabolism, reducing short‐chain fatty acid (acetate, butyrate, propionate) production, glucose utilization, and increasing alpha‐diversity. Notably, the study reveals age‐related differences in silymarin catabolism. Healthy elderly donors (70–80 years) exhibited a significant increase in a specific catabolite associated with Oscillibacter sp., whereas healthy young donors (12–45 years) showed a faster breakdown of silymarin components, particularly isosilybin B, which is associated with higher abundance of Faecalibacterium and Erysipelotrichaceae UCG‐003.ConclusionThis study provides insights into microbiome functionality in metabolizing dietary flavonolignans, highlighting implications for age‐specific nutritional strategies, and advancing our understanding of dietary (poly)phenol metabolism.

中文翻译：

---

水飞蓟素和结肠微生物群在健康年轻人和健康老年人受试者中的相互相互作用


范围这项多组学研究调查了肠道微生物群和水飞蓟素代谢之间的双向相互作用，突出了不同年龄组的不同影响。水飞蓟素是水飞蓟（奶蓟草）的提取物，因其保肝作用而常使用。方法和结果采用体外发酵结肠模型，对来自健康供体的 20 份粪便样本的微生物群进行研究，分为两个年龄组。结合质子核磁共振 （1H NMR）、下一代测序 （NGS） 和液相色谱-质谱 （LC-MS） 三种分析先进技术来确定 24 小时内水飞蓟素微生物代谢物、总体代谢组和微生物群组成。50 μg mL-1 的低饮食相关剂量的水飞蓟素显着改变了肠道微生物群代谢，减少了短链脂肪酸（乙酸盐、丁酸盐、丙酸盐）的产生、葡萄糖利用并增加了 α 多样性。值得注意的是，该研究揭示了水飞蓟素分解代谢的年龄相关差异。健康的老年供体（70-80 岁）表现出与 Oscillibacter sp. 相关的特定分解代谢物的显着增加，而健康的年轻供体（12-45 岁）表现出水飞蓟素成分的更快分解，特别是异水飞蓟宾 B，它与粪杆菌和丹毒菌科 UCG-003 的丰度有关。 强调对特定年龄营养策略的影响，并促进我们对膳食（多）酚代谢的理解。