Marine-derived extracts of Peyssonnelia caulifera Okamura and Meristotheca papulosa demonstrate differential efficacy in modulating obesity-related metabolic skewing revealed by integrative analysis of extract metabolomics and microbiome profiles

This study investigated the anti-obesity efficacy of Peyssonnelia caulifera Okamura extract (PCE) and Meristotheca papulosa extract (MPE) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model. Both extracts improved hyperinsulinemia, adipocyte hypertrophy, and adipose/hepatic inflammation. PCE significantly reduced fasting glucose and hepatic triglyceride levels, while MPE effectively normalized colonic histopathology. Both extracts restored tight junction protein expression and mitigated gut barrier disruption. At the phylum level, both supplementations decreased Bacteroidota and increased Verrucomicrobiota ; At the genus level, MPE significantly enriched Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 , Dubosiella , Faecalibaculum , and Ruminococcaceae NK4A214 , while PCE showed modest, non-significant increase. PCE more potently suppressed LPS-induced cytokines expression and adipogenesis than MPE in vitro . UPLC-QTOF-MS revealed distinct metabolite fingerprints for each extract, and correlation analysis linked key metabolites (e.g., carnitine, valyl isoleucine) to inflammatory and metabolic indices. These findings identify PCE and MPE confer metabolic benefits in HFD-induced obesity through coordinated effects on gut, hepatic, and adipose tissue responses, with PCE showing superior efficacy.