Probiotic intervention attenuates hypercholesterolemia and modulates gut microbiota in high-fat diet-fed rats

Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and is often associated with lipid metabolism disturbances, liver dysfunction, and gut microbiota imbalances. Probiotics have emerged as promising agents to improve cholesterol management through gut microbiome modulation and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated the impact of probiotics on weight, lipid profiles, liver function, and gut microbiota composition in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hypercholesterolemic rats. Rats were divided into five groups: normal diet (NG), HFD, HFD + Rosuvastatin (SG), HFD + probiotics (Lactobacillus spp.) (PG), and HFD + Rosuvastatin + probiotics (PSG). Probiotic supplementation significantly attenuated weight gain, reduced triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TCH), and LDL-C levels, and improved liver enzyme profiles (ALT, AST) compared to the HFD group. Histological analysis revealed that probiotics mitigated HFD-induced hepatocellular degeneration and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (IL-1β, TNF-α) in liver tissues. Gut microbiota analysis showed that probiotics modulated the relative abundance of key bacterial phyla and families, increasing beneficial taxa such as Lachnospiraceae and Lactobacillaceae. These findings suggest that probiotics can serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for managing hypercholesterolemia by improving lipid metabolism, protecting hepatic health, and reshaping the gut microbiome.