- A research team at Handong Global University (HGU), led by Professor Ah-Ram Kim in the School of Life Science, has discovered a new biological mechanism explaining why eating plenty of vegetables does not always lead to weight loss.
- The team found that a kimchi-derived probiotic strain, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HAC03, dramatically improves the bioavailability of the plant flavonoid rutin, enhancing its anti-obesity effect through a newly identified symbiotic mechanism within the small intestine.
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[Photo 1] Prof. Ah-Ram Kim, School of Life Science (left, corresponding author) and Dr. Yoon-Gu
Kang, Institute for Biological Science (right, first author), Handong Global University
￭ Breaking the “Rutin Absorption Barrier” with a Kimchi Microbe
Although rutin—abundant in many vegetables and known for its antioxidant and fat-suppressing properties—has long been recognized as beneficial, its poor intestinal absorption has limited its physiological effects.
The Handong–POSTECH collaborative research revealed that the probiotic HAC03, isolated from baek-kimchi (white kimchi), plays a dual role:
1. Rutin helps HAC03 colonize the ileum (the distal small intestine), and
2. HAC03 rapidly converts rutin into isoquercitrin, a more effective and absorbable form, while slowing its further conversion to quercetin, allowing isoquercitrin to remain longer in the ileum for efficient absorption.
The in vivo reciprocal interaction between rutin and the kimchi-derived Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HAC03 in the small intestine was demonstrated here for the first time.
"Unlike previous studies using mixed probiotic–polyphenol blends, we employed a precisely defined, data-verified pairing of rutin and the kimchi-derived Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HAC03, showing for the first time how they dynamically coordinate absorption within the body," said Professor Ah-Ram Kim.
￭ Half the Dose, Twice the Effect
In high-fat diet-induced obese mice, co-administration of rutin and HAC03 achieved the same or greater anti-obesity effects with only half the rutin dosage required by rutin alone.
Mice receiving the combined treatment showed significant reductions in body weight, fat cell size, and blood lipid indicators, demonstrating a clear metabolic synergy.
Metabolomic and tissue analyses confirmed that this effect results from enhanced conversion of rutin to isoquercitrin in the ileum and improved intestinal absorption, supported by molecular data on enzyme activity and transporter involvement (including SGLT1).
￭ Toward a Safe, Food-Derived Alternative to Drug-Based Obesity Treatments
“By employing probiotics specialized in flavonoid metabolism, we can maximize bioavailability through natural means,” said Prof. Kim.
“The rutin–HAC03 combination represents a safe, food-based strategy that may complement or even replace GLP-1 analogs in the future—without their side effects.”
The study was conducted as part of Dr. Yoon-Gu Kang’s Ph.D. dissertation at Handong Global University’s Institute for Biological Science
The findings were published in Food Chemistry, one of the world’s leading journals in nutrition and dietetics (ranked top 3% by JCR 2024, 4th of 113).
￭ A New Paradigm for Microbiome-Based Nutrition Therapy
This work introduces a new model for microbiome–flavonoid synergy, highlighting how traditional fermented foods like kimchi can offer scientifically validated benefits for metabolic health.
According to the authors, the L. plantarum HAC03–rutin system may serve as a foundation for developing personalized probiotic–polyphenol therapeutics that are both effective and naturally derived.
“Kimchi is more than a fermented food—it’s a biological treasure,” Prof. Kim added.
“Our discovery shows how ancient dietary traditions can inspire next-generation metabolic health solutions.”
￭ Publication Information
l Journal: Food Chemistry (Elsevier)
l Title: “Kimchi-derived Lactiplantibacillus plantarum enhances rutin bioavailability and anti-obesity efficacy via ileal conversion to isoquercitrin.”
l DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
l Downloadable link: https://authors.elsevier.com/
