The monomer of resveratrol butyrate ester ameliorates obesity and gut microbiota in high-fat diet rats.

[Display omitted] • Resveratrol butyrate ester (RBE) monomers, ED4 and ED2 exhibit anti-obesity effect. • RBE monomers reduce body weight and dyslipidemia indicators in obese rats. • RBE monomers shift gut flora and increase certain short-chain fatty acid production. • The mono-ester RBE has more efficacy in preventing obesity than di-ester. • Structure-activity relationship of RBE monomers can result in diverse bioactivities. Resveratrol butyrate ester (RBE), synthesized via the esterification of resveratrol and butyric acid, demonstrates better bioactivity than resveratrol. Therefore, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of two RBE monomers with different numbers of ester, mono-ester derivative (3- O -butanoylresveratrol, ED4) and di-ester derivative (3,4′-di- O -butanoylresveratrol, ED2) in obese rats. Animals were assigned to the control diet, high-fat diet (HFD), HFD with ED4 (HFDM), and HFD with ED2 (HFDD) groups. After 6 weeks of treatment, the groups treated with ED4 and ED2 effectively regulated their basic biochemical indicators, including body weight and lipid parameters in serum and liver. Moreover, supplementation with ED4 and ED2 decreased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and altered the levels of short-chain fatty acids, which may contribute to the anti-obesity effects. This research showcases the potential of RBE monomers in obesity prevention, particularly highlighting the greater efficacy of mono-ester RBE (ED4) compared to its di-ester form (ED2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]