Ganoderma lucidum spore oil attenuates acute liver injury by modulating lipid metabolism and gut microbiota

The incidence of acute liver injury is increasing and poses a significant threat to human health. Ganoderma lucidum spore oil (GLSO), a lipid substance extracted from Ganoderma lucidum spore powder using supercritical CO₂ technology, has been investigated for its potential to prevent acute liver injury. However, the specific mechanism underlying the protective effects of GLSO remains incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the preventive effect of GLSO on acute liver injury in rats, focusing on the gut microbiome and serum metabolomics. GLSO effectively alleviated liver dysfunction and reduced inflammation, leading to the prevention of acute liver injury in rats. Serum metabolomics analysis revealed that GLSO primarily modulated lipid metabolic pathways related to glycerophospholipid metabolism and sphingolipid metabolism. Specifically, GLSO decreased the levels of metabolites such as lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), glycerophosphatidylcholine (GPC), and sphinganine 1-phosphate (SA1P), while increasing the levels of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and digalactosylceramide (DGC). Gut microbiomics data indicated that GLSO effectively regulated the composition of the gut microbiota in rats with acute liver injury. Specifically, it increased the abundance of Firmicutes and decreased the abundance of Proteobacteria. Mantel test correlation analysis revealed a close relationship between gut microbial Burkholderiales and lipid metabolites in GLSO-mediated prevention of acute liver injury. GLSO exerts its preventive effects on acute liver injury by remodeling the gut microbiota and regulating lipid metabolism. These findings provide novel insights and potential directions for the development of new drugs targeting acute liver injury.