Previous studies on capsaicin, the bioactive compound in chili peppers, have shown that it may have a beneficial effect in vivo when part of a regular diet. These positive health benefits, including an anti-inflammatory potential and protective effects against obesity, are often attributed to the gut microbial community response to capsaicin. However, there is no consensus on the mechanism behind the protective effect of capsaicin. In this study, we used an in vitro model of the human gut microbiota to determine how regular consumption of capsaicin impacts the gut microbiota. Using a combination of NextGen sequencing and metabolomics, we found that regular capsaicin treatment changed the structure of the gut microbial community by increasing diversity and certain SCFA abundances, particularly butanoic acid. Through this study, we determined that the addition of capsaicin to the in vitro cultures of the human gut microbiome resulted in increased diversity of the microbial community and an increase in butanoic acid. These changes may be responsible for the health benefits associated with CAP consumption.
Keywords: capsaicin; gut microbiota; short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs); untargeted metabolomics.