Polygonatum odoratum polysaccharide attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury in mice by regulating gut microbiota

Polygonatum odoratum is appreciated for its edible and medicinal benefits especially for lung protection. However, the contained active components have been understudied, and further research is required to fully exploit its potential application. We aimed to probe into the beneficial effects of Polygonatum odoratum polysaccharide (POP) in lipopolysaccharide-induced lung inflammatory injury mice. POP treatment could ameliorate the survival rate, pulmonary function, lung pathological lesions, and immune inflammatory response. POP treatment could repair intestinal barrier, and modulate the composition of gut microbiota, especially reducing the abundance of Klebsiella, which were closely associated with the therapeutic effects of POP. Investigation of the underlying anti-inflammatory mechanism showed that POP suppressed the generation of pro-inflammatory molecules in lung by inhibiting iNOS(+) M1 macrophages. Collectively, POP is a promising multi-target microecological regulator to prevent and treat the immuno-inflammation and lung injury by modulating gut microbiota.