Lactobacillus casei‐fermented Amomum xanthioides ameliorates metabolic dysfunction in high‐fat diet‐induced obese mice

Amomum xanthioides (AX) has been used as an edible herbal medicine to treat digestive system disorders in Asia. Additionally, Lactobacillus casei is a well‐known probiotic commonly used in fermentation processes as a starter. The current study aimed to investigate the potential of Lactobacillus casei‐fermented Amomum xanthioides (LAX) in alleviating metabolic disorders induced by high‐fat diet (HFD) in a mouse model. LAX significantly reduced the body and fat weight, outperforming AX, yet without suppressing appetite. LAX also markedly ameliorated excessive lipid accumulation and reduced inflammatory cytokine (IL‐6) levels in serum superior to AX in association with UCP1 activation and adiponectin elevation. Furthermore, LAX noticeably improved the levels of fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, and HOMA‐IR through positive regulation of glucose transporters (GLUT2, GLUT4), and insulin receptor gene expression. In conclusion, the fermentation of AX demonstrates a pronounced mitigation of overnutrition‐induced metabolic dysfunction, including hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and obesity, compared to non‐fermented AX. Consequently, we proposed that the fermentation of AX holds promise as a potential candidate for effectively ameliorating metabolic disorders. The potential of Lactobacillus casei‐fermented Amomum xanthioides (LAX) in mitigating metabolic disorders induced by a high‐fat diet (HFD) in mice was investigated. Compared to the HFD control group, LAX significantly reduced body and fat weight without suppressing appetite. LAX also markedly reduced lipid accumulation. Moreover, LAX noticeably ameliorated fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance. This research suggests that fermenting AX holds promise in effectively alleviating metabolic disorders, including hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and obesity.