Dietary Phaseolus vulgaris extract alleviated diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis and alters gut microbiota composition in mice

•Phaseolus vulgaris extract administration reduced diet-induced body weight gain.•Phaseolus vulgaris extract administration attenuated diet-induced hepatic steatosis.•Phaseolus vulgaris extract improved glucose intolerance and insulin resistance.•Phaseolus vulgaris extract administration modified the composition gut microbiota. Phaseolus vulgaris may reduce appetite, body weight and gut microbiota and has been shown to contribute to the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of P. vulgaris extract (PVE) on obesity and obesity-associated metabolic syndromes, and determine whether the protective effects of PVE were associated with modulation of gut microbiota. C57BL/6J mice were fed low-fat diet, high-fat diet or high-fat diet supplemented with PVE of 50 mg/kg. The composition of gut microbiota was analysed by 16S rDNA sequencing. Our results showed that PVE treatment reduced body weight and improved hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in high-fat diet-fed mice. PVE administration increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Akkermansia at the genus level. In conclusion, PVE protects from diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis, and these beneficial effects were associated with the PVE-related modulation of gut microbiota.