Chinese Yam Polysaccharides Alleviate Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Modulating Gut Microbiota, Restoring Mitochondrial Function, and Reducing Oxidative Stress.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa characterised by T-cell–mediated immune dysregulation [,]. Although OLP is relatively common in daily clinical practice, its aetiology and pathogenic mechanisms remain incompletely understood, and no curative treatment has been established []. Histopathologically, dense T-cell infiltration, including CD4⁺ and CD8 T cells is observed in the lesional mucosa, suggesting that excessive immune activation contributes to the persistent inflammation. In recent years, the gut microbiota has been recognised as a key regulator of systemic immune function []. Dysbiosis has been implicated in the development of various conditions, including allergic diseases, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease []. Our previous work demonstrated that patients with OLP exhibit reduced gut microbial diversity and a marked depletion of butyrate‑producing bacteria compared with healthy individuals []. Because butyrate‑producing bacteria promote the differentiation and function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) [,], their reduction may contribute to impaired immunoregulatory capacity and the chronicity of OLP. Inulin is a soluble dietary fibre that acts as a prebiotic and promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, particularly short‑chain fatty acid (SCFA) producers such as butyrate‑, acetate‑, and propionate‑producing taxa [,]. Randomised controlled trials in healthy adults have shown that inulin supplementation not only alters gut microbiota composition but also increases faecal SCFA concentrations []. Given that OLP is characterised by dysbiosis with reduced butyrate‑producing bacteria, inulin supplementation may help restore microbial balance and modulate immune responses.