Structural characterization and human gut microbiota fermentation in vitro of a polysaccharide from Fucus vesiculosus.

In this study, an acidic polysaccharide (FVP-7 A) was isolated from Fucus vesiculosus by DEAE-Sepharose™ fast flow. The chemical composition, glycosidic bonds and in vitro fecal fermentation characteristics of FVP-7 A were studied. Results shown that FVP-7 A was a homogenous polysaccharide with average molecular weight of 30.94 kDa. Combined with FT-IR, monosaccharide composition, methylation and NMR analysis, the glycosidic bonds of FVP-7 A mainly composed of →4)-ß-D-Manp-(1→, →3)-α-L-Fucp-(1→, α-D-Manp-(1→, →3)-ß-D-Manp-(1 â†’ and →4,6)-α-D-Manp-(1→. The zeta potential and atomic force microscopy images indicated that FVP-7 A could exist stably as a single chain-like structure in dilute solution. After gut fermentation, FVP-7 A was utilized and promoted multiple short-chain fatty acids production, especially acetic acid, butyric acid and valeric acid. For prebiotics, FVP-7 A significantly increased the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acids producing bacteria such as Bacteroides, Lachnospira, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Oscillospira and Dialister, and inhiited the growth of the harmful bacteria Shigella. These results indicated that FVP-7 A could be used as a potential dietary supplement to improve intestinal health.

Fucus vesiculosus polysaccharide alleviates type 2 diabetes in rats via remodeling gut microbiota and regulating glycolipid metabolism-related gene expression.

The antidiabetic activity and underlying mechanisms of Fucus vesiculosus polysaccharide (FVP) were studied in type 2 diabetic rats. Our results exhibited that FVP intervention reversed body weight loss, alleviated hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in diabetic rats. FVP also had the potential to ameliorate dyslipidemia, liver and kidney dysfunction, decrease oxidative stress, promote glycogen synthesis, and boost short-chain fatty acid production and total bile acid excretion. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis suggested that FVP interfered with the gut microbiota in a beneficial manner. Moreover, RT-qPCR results demonstrated that the antidiabetic activity of FVP in connection with the acceleration of blood glucose absorption and glycogen synthesis, the inhibition of gluconeogenesis, and the regulation of lipid metabolism in the liver. These findings suggested that FVP had antidiabetic effects on high-fat diet and STZ-induced diabetic rats and could be a potential resource for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Characterizations of food-derived ellagic acid-Undaria pinnatifida polysaccharides solid dispersion and its benefits on solubility, dispersity and biotransformation of ellagic acid.

The current study was aimed to enhance the solubility, dispersibility and biotransformation efficacy of ellagic acid (EA) by preparing food-derived ellagic acid-Undaria pinnatifida polysaccharides solid dispersion (EA/UPP SD). The results demonstrated that the solubility of EA/UPP SD was improved from 0.014 mg/mL to 0.383 mg/mL, and the enhancement was related to converting to a more amorphous state and restraining its self-aggregation during the mechanochemical process. The structure of EA/UPP SDs was mostly maintained by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions between EA and UPP. Moreover, the result of in vitro anaerobic incubations showed the biotransformation process was improved with EA/UPP SD addition to substrate due to the advance of microbial accessibility in EA dispersion. Altogether, these results indicated that the EA/UPP SDs expanded the application of EA by increasing the solubility and dispersity, and provided a theoretical basis for bioconversion efficiency enhancement.

Sanghuangporus vaninii fruit body polysaccharide alleviates hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia via modulating intestinal microflora in type 2 diabetic mice.

The disease of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is principally induced by insufficient insulin secretion and insulin resistance. In the current study, Sanghuangporus vaninii fruit body polysaccharide (SVP) was prepared and structurally characterized. It was shown that the yield of SVP was 1.91%, and SVP mainly contains small molecular weight polysaccharides. Afterward, the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects and the potential mechanism of SVP in T2DM mice were investigated. The results exhibited oral SVP could reverse the body weight loss, high levels of blood glucose, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and inflammation in T2DM mice. Oral SVP increased fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentrations of T2DM mice. Additionally, 16S rRNA sequencing analysis illustrated that SVP can modulate the structure and function of intestinal microflora in T2DM mice, indicating as decreasing the levels of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, Flavonifractor, Odoribacter, and increasing the levels of Weissella, Alloprevotella, and Dubosiella. Additionally, the levels of predicted metabolic functions of Citrate cycle, GABAergic synapse, Insulin signaling pathway were increased, and those of Purine metabolism, Taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and Starch and sucrose metabolism were decreased in intestinal microflora after SVP treatment. These findings demonstrate that SVP could potentially play hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects by regulating gut microflora and be a promising nutraceutical for ameliorating T2DM.

Dietary Supplement of Amomum villosum Lour. Polysaccharide Attenuates Ulcerative Colitis in BALB/c Mice.

Amomum villosum Lour. (A. villosum), a comestible medicinal plant, has been traditionally used in China to treat diarrhea, stomach fullness, and abdominal distension. Polysaccharide, the main chemical component of A. villosum, has been shown to possess potential antioxidant and glycosidase inhibitory activities; however, whether it has anticolitis activity is unknown. The aim of this research was to evaluate the anticolitis effects of A. villosum polysaccharide (AVLP) in BALB/c mice. The results showed that AVLP administration significantly reversed body weight loss, colon shortening and colon weight gain and decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in colitis mice (p < 0.05). AVLP administration also maintained intestinal barrier function by the upregulation of ZO-1 protein expression (p < 0.05). In addition, high-throughput sequencing analysis showed that AVLP possessed a great regulatory effect on the growth of Adlercreutzia, Clostridium, Streptococcus, Parabacteroides, Helicobacter, Odoribacter, and Alistipes (p < 0.05, LDA score > 2). The correlation analysis revealed that the protective effects against colitis of AVLP were highly correlated with intestinal bacterium regulation. These results suggest that AVLP intake could serve as a prospective nutritional strategy for inflammatory bowel diseases.

The potential mechanisms of Macrocystis pyrifera polysaccharides mitigating type 2 diabetes in rats.

Our previous studies have proved that the anti-digestive polysaccharide from Macrocystis pyrifera possesses potential hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering activities; however, its potential mechanisms for improving diabetes have not been elucidated. The current study was aimed to determine the anti-diabetic effects and possible mechanisms of Macrocystis pyrifera polysaccharides (MPP) in diabetic rats. After 8-week MPP treatment, the serum profiles, gut bacteria composition and relative gene expressions of rats were determined. MPP administration effectively ameliorated the diabetic symptoms, dyslipidemia, liver and kidney damage, oxidative stress and chronic inflammation in diabetic rats. In addition, MPP treatment could also notably improve the microbial dysbiosis by increasing the beneficial bacteria and decreasing a bacterial pathogen in the diabetic rats. The RT-qPCR analysis indicated that MPP intervention significantly up-regulated the IRS/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and down-regulated the relative expressions of glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGCR) and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) in diabetic rats. These results demonstrated that MPP had the potential to be exploited as functional foods or pharmaceutical supplements for preventing and treating diabetes.

The Beneficial Effects of Two Polysaccharide Fractions from Sargassum fusiform against Diabetes Mellitus Accompanied by Dyslipidemia in Rats and Their Underlying Mechanisms.

The current study aimed to assess the anti-diabetic effects and potential mechanisms of two Sargassum fusiform polysaccharide fractions (SFPs, named SFP-1 and SFP-2). The carbohydrate-loading experiment revealed that SFP-2 could control postprandial hyperglycemia by inhibiting the activity of digestive enzymes in rats. The analysis of diabetic symptoms and serum profiles indicated that SFPs could mitigate diabetes accompanied by dyslipidemia, and SFP-2 showed better regulatory effects on body weight, food intake and the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and free fatty acid (FFA) in diabetic rats. Intestinal bacterial analysis showed that SFP treatment could reshape the gut flora of diabetic rats, and SFP-2 possessed a greater regulatory effect on the growth of Lactobacillus and Blautia than SFP-1. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that SFPs could regulate the genes involved in the absorption and utilization of blood glucose, hepatic glucose production and lipid metabolism, and the effects of SFP-2 on the relative expressions of Protein kinase B (Akt), Glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase), Glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), AMP-activated protein kinase-α (AMPKα), Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and Cholesterol 7-alpha hydroxylase (CYP7A1) were greater than SFP-1. All above results indicated that SFPs could be exploited as functional foods or pharmaceutical supplements for the treatment of diabetes and its complications.

Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharide is a potential auxiliary substance for metformin in the management of diabetes.

The present study investigated the positive effects of relatively low-dose metformin combined with Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharide (LMET-SFP) in high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, and explored the underlying mechanisms of LMET-SFP as compared to metformin alone in managing diabetes. The results indicate that both metformin and LMET-SFP can attenuate body weight loss and ameliorate hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and hyperlipidemia, and LMET-SFP exhibited better effects in lowering fasting blood glucose levels, insulin resistance index and serum cholesterol compared to metformin only. The administration of LMET-SFP could ameliorate liver dysfunction in diabetic rats. In addition, fecal bile acid data implied that LMET-SFP intervention contributed to an increase in fecal total bile acids, ursodesoxycholic acid and tauroursodesoxycholic acid profiles when compared to metformin treatment. Additionally, intestinal microbiological analysis showed that the acknowledged probiotics Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium exhibited higher levels in the LMET-SFP group compared to the metformin group. RT-qPCR results demonstrated that the better hypoglycemic effects of LMET-SFP were mainly attributed to the down-regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A, cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase expression, and the up-regulation of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase expression, in contrast to metformin alone. These results suggest that SFP may be used as an auxiliary hypoglycemic substance for metformin in the future.

Comparative study on the structural characterization and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of polysaccharide fractions extracted from Sargassum fusiforme at different pH conditions.

Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides (SFPs), including SFP-3-40, SFP-3-60, SFP-3-80, SFP-7-40, SFP-7-60, SFP-7-80, SFP-10-40, SFP-10-60, and SFP-10-80, were extracted at different pH (3, 7, and 10), and then precipitated with graded precipitation of 40%, 60% and 80% (v/v) ethanol solution, respectively. Their physicochemical properties and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity were determined. Results showed that SFPs significantly differed in the contents of total sugar, protein, uronic acid, sulfate, the zeta potential, and molecular weight distribution. SFPs, including SFP-10-40, SFP-10-60, and SFP-10-80, had bigger absolute zeta potential value and higher respective average molecular weight in the same ethanol concentration precipitate. All samples were mainly composed of fucose, glucuronic acid, and mannose with different molar ratios. The extraction pH and precipitation ethanol solution concentration caused little changes in functional groups, but significantly altered surface morphology of SFPs. Congo red test revealed that all polysaccharides were not helical polysaccharides. Rheological measurements indicated that SFPs were pseudoplastic fluids and showed elastic behavior of the gel. Except SFP-3-40 and SFP-3-60, all other samples had a stronger α-glucosidase inhibitory activity than that of acarbose. The inhibition type of SFPs against α-glucosidase varied owing to different extraction pH and precipitation ethyl concentration. This study shows that extraction pH can significantly affect the structure and hypoglycemic activity of SFPs and provide a data support for the scientific use of Sargassum fusiforme in industrial production.

The positive effects and underlying mechanisms of Undaria pinnatifida polysaccharides on type 2 diabetes mellitus in rats.

The aim of the current work was to investigate the anti-diabetic effects and underlying mechanisms of Undaria pinnatifida polysaccharides (UPP) based on a type 2 diabetes (T2DM) rat model. The starch loading test showed that UPP administration could reduce blood glucose fluctuations caused by eating. Analysis of diabetic symptoms and biochemical profiles showed that UPP intervention markedly decreased fasting blood glucose level, mitigated insulin resistance, improved glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia and liver and kidney damage in diabetic rats. The 16S rRNA analysis demonstrated that UPP intervention could markedly change the intestinal microflora composition, causing increases in Alistipes, Bacteroides, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Desulfovibrio, Muribaculaceae_norank, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-013, and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, and a decrease in Escherichia-Shigella. Furthermore, RT-qPCR analysis results clarified that UPP administration distinctly activated the IRS/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, restrained PEPCK, G-6-Pase and Egr-1 genes, and affected the relative expression of HMGCR and LDLR genes. This study demonstrates that UPP could be applied as an adjuvant agent for the management of T2DM.

Spirulina platensis polysaccharides attenuate lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorder in high-sucrose and high-fat diet-fed rats in association with intestinal microbiota.

This study aimed to evaluate the possibility that Spirulina platensis crude polysaccharides may ameliorate the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorder, including obesity, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hepatic steatosis, and gut dysbiosis. The results showed Spirulina platensis crude polysaccharides could improve body weight, serum/liver lipid and carbohydrate indexes, and liver antioxidant parameters in high-sucrose and high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats, which were accompanied by regulated liver mRNA expressions involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorder. In addition, SPLP intervention significantly decreased cecal level of propionic acid in HFD-fed rats. Notably, the SPLP could alter the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroides, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria at phylum levels. Based on Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, serum/liver lipid and carbohydrate profiles were found significantly positively correlated with genera Romboutsia, Allobaculum, Blautia, Phascolarctobacterium, Bifidobacterium, Coprococcus, Turicibacter, Erysipelotrichaceae_unclassified, Olsenella, Escherichia/Shigella, Coprobacillus, Lachnospiracea incertae, and Lactobacillus, but strongly negatively correlated with genera Atopostipes, Flavonifractor, Porphyromonadaceae_unclassified, Barnesiella, Oscillibacter, Paraprevotella, Jeotgalicoccus, Corynebacterium, Alloprevotella and Bacteroides. It was concluded that oral administration of SPLP could remarkably ameliorate the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorder and significantly modulate the intestinal microbiota in HFD-fed rats.

Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharide partly replaces acarbose against type 2 diabetes in rats.

The objective of present research was to explore whether Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharide (SFP) could partly replace acarbose against type 2 diabetes in rats. Results indicated that SFP co-administered with low-dose acarbose intervention typically mitigated diabetic symptoms and serum profiles and exhibited better anti-diabetic effects than single acarbose treatment in controlling fasting blood glucose, improving insulin resistance and mitigating kidney injuries. The RT-qPCR analysis indicated that SFP co-administered with low-dose acarbose administration distinctly activated the IRS/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway compared with single acarbose treatment. Moreover, the co-administration also restrained liver fat accumulation via affecting the expression of HMGCR and SREBP-1c genes. In addition, the 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis indicated that SFP co-administered with low-dose acarbose significantly restored beneficial composition of gut flora in diabetic rats, such as the increase of Muribaculaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Bifidobacterium, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Ruminococcus_1, Romboutsia, Eggerthellaceae, Alistipes and Faecalibaculum, and the decrease of Escherichia-Shigella. These results suggested that SFP, the novel natural adjuvant of acarbose, displayed the desirable benefits in minimizing the dose of drug, while improving the anti-diabetic efficiency.

Physicochemical Characterization of Hizikia fusiforme Polysaccharide and Its Hypoglycemic Activity via Mediating Insulin-Stimulated Blood Glucose Utilization of Skeletal Muscle in Type 2 Diabetic Rats.

In the current study, a functional polysaccharide fraction (HFP) was obtained from Hizikia fusiforme by ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction, and its structural characterization and hypoglycemic activity and potential molecular mechanism were investigated. The results indicated that HFP with high uronic acid was a heterogeneous polysaccharide composed of six monosaccharides. Congo red test explained that HFP had no triple helix conformation. AFM analysis revealed that HFP was spherical particle with flame-like aggregates and multiple strands closely arranged. Rheological analysis showed that HFP exhibited shear-thinning flow behavior. HFP significantly ameliorated diabetes-related symptoms and serum profiles and increased muscle glycogen storage in rats. HFP administration at 400 mg/kg body weight/day displayed greater advantages than metformin in controlling the levels of fasting blood glucose, triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bile acid (TBA) of diabetic rats. Intervention of HFP up-regulated markedly the expression of AMPK-α, GLUT4, PI3K and Akt in skeletal muscle of diabetic rats at the mRNA and protein levels, revealing hypoglycemic effects of HFP may be related closely to improving insulin resistance and mitochondrial function of skeletal muscle.

Mitigation mechanisms of Hizikia fusifarme polysaccharide consumption on type 2 diabetes in rats.

The objective of current work was to explore the potential anti-diabetic mechanisms of Hizikia fusifarme polysaccharide (HFP) in type 2 diabetic rats. The carbohydrate loading experiment illustrated that HFP supplement could reduce blood sugar fluctuations caused by eating through inhibiting the hydrolysis of starch in mice. The analysis of typically diabetic symptoms and serum profiles showed that oral administration of HFP could mitigate hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in rats. The 16s rRNA gene sequencing analysis indicated that HFP treatment could restore beneficial composition of gut flora in diabetic rats, and the correlation analysis revealed that the improvement of diabetes is closely related to the modification of gut flora by HFP intervention. Furthermore, the RT-qPCR and western blotting analysis clarified that HFP administration could increase glycogen storage in liver and skeletal muscle of diabetic rats through activating IRS/PI3K/AKT/GLUT signaling pathway and restrain gluconeogenesis via affecting the relative expression of Egr-1 and PEPCK genes.

Antidiabetic effects and underlying mechanisms of anti-digestive dietary polysaccharides from Sargassum fusiforme in rats.

Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides (SFP), an anti-digestive biologically active ingredient obtained from Sargassum fusiforme by ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction, have been proven to exhibit extremely strong alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity. In the current research, the potential anti-diabetic effects and molecular mechanisms of SFP were investigated by classic biochemical analysis, high-throughput sequencing and molecular biology techniques in type 2 diabetic rats. The analysis of typical diabetic symptoms and serum profiles showed that oral administration of SFP could mitigate hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia and oxidative stress in diabetic rats. SFP also promoted glycogen synthesis in the liver and skeletal muscles. H&E staining observation confirmed that SFP intervention could partially repair liver and muscle injuries caused by diabetes. Moreover, 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis indicated that SFP treatment could distinctly restore the beneficial composition of gut flora in diabetic rats. Furthermore, RT-qPCR analysis revealed that anti-diabetic effects of SFP may be closely related to accelerating the absorption and utilization of blood glucose in the liver and muscle and inhibiting hepatic glucose production. In short, this study demonstrated that SFP could be developed as functional foods or pharmaceutical supplements for the prevention or mitigation of diabetes and its complications.

Comparison of physicochemical properties and antidiabetic effects of polysaccharides extracted from three seaweed species.

Three algae polysaccharides (APs) extracted from Ascophyllum nodosum (ANP), Fucus vesiculosus (FVP) and Undaria Pinnatifida (USP) significantly differed in the zeta potential, water and oil holding capacity, monosaccharide composition, organic element composition, molecular weight distribution, microstructure and rheological properties. Antidiabetic effects of APs were compared by oral intervention at the dose of 400 mg/kg·body weight/day in high sugar and fat diets and streptozotocin injection induced type 2 diabetic rats. The analysis of body weight, water intake, fasting blood glucose, insulin, oral glucose tolerance, blood lipid indicators (including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and free fatty acid (FFA)), liver function indexes (involving alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)) and renal function profiles (comprising uric acid (UA) and urea nitrogen (BUN)) showed that APs possessed obvious antidiabetic activities, and FVP showed better effects in controlling the levels of FFA, AST, ALT, UA and BUN. Intervention of FVP reduced the total bile acid (TBA) level and elevated high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level of diabetic rats. Histomorphological observation further demonstrated that APs, especially FVP, could attenuate liver and kidney damage caused by diabetes. This study concluded that the antidiabetic effects of ANP, FVP and USP were distinctly different, which might be attributed to their different chemical structures. Therefore, the structure-activity relationship and antidiabetic mechanism of APs will be our future research direction.

Physicochemical properties of polysaccharide fractions from Sargassum fusiforme and their hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities in type 2 diabetic rats.

Two polysaccharide fractions (SFPs, designated as respectively SFP-1 and SFP-2) were acquired from Sargassum fusiforme by ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction, and their physicochemical properties and hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects were investigated. Structural analysis indicated that SFPs were obvious different in the zeta potential, molecular weight distribution, characteristic organic group, microstructure and the contents of total sugar, uronic acid, sulfate and moisture. SFPs consisted of fucose, mannose, rhamnose, glucose, galactose and glucuronic acid with different molar ratios. Congo red test explained that SFPs had no triple-helix structure. SFP-1 exhibited lower viscosity due to its lower molecular weight. Regarding to hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, oral administration of SFPs prominently restrained loss of body weight and increase of water intake, and also significantly controlled the increase of levels of fasting blood glucose, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), uric acid (UA), urea nitrogen (BUN), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of diabetic rats, and SFP-2 showed better effects in controlling fasting blood glucose, ALT, UA and BUN levels. Intervention of SFP-2 reduced the levels of insulin, FFA and TBA of diabetic rats. Histomorphological observation further demonstrated that SFPs could attenuate liver and kidney damage caused by hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Data indicated that SFPs, especially SFP-2, significantly improved hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and liver and kidney function of diabetic rats.

Structural characterization of polysaccharides from three seaweed species and their hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities in type 2 diabetic rats.

Three algal polysaccharides (APs) were acquired from Scagassum (SCP), Sargassum fusiforme(Harv.) Setch. (SFP) and Macrocystis pyrifera(L.)Ag. (MAP) by hot water extraction, and their structural characterization and antidiabetic activity were investigated in high fat diet and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats. The results revealed that there were obvious differences in extraction yield, molecular weight, compositions of monosaccharide and organic element, molecular morphology, rheological properties and the contents of total sugar, protein, uronic acid and sulfate of SCP, MAP and SFP. SFP had the highest extraction yield, the contents of total sugar and uronic acid and the smallest molecular weight. Congo red assay indicated that all polysaccharides had no triple-helix structure. Oral administration of APs prominently restrained loss of weight and increase of water intake (P < .05), and also significantly controlled the increase of levels of blood glucose, triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in diabetic rats (P <0 .05). Diabetic rats treated with SCP had the highest high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level (P < .05), similar to those in normal group. MAP and SCP showed positive effect in improving the low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level of diabetic rats (P < .05). Meanwhile, the increased ALT and BUN contents caused by the liver and kidney damages were markedly ameliorated in the diabetic rats with APs intervention (P < .05). As a consequence, APs could be promising candidates as natural medicines and functional foods for the improvement of diabetes and its complications.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids from microalgae Spirulina platensis modulates lipid metabolism disorders and gut microbiota in high-fat diet rats.

Effects of Spirulina platensis 55% ethanol extract (SPL55) on lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidaemic rats were investigated. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry indicated that SPL55 was enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids. Meanwhile, serum and liver lipid levels, including total triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, were significantly decreased in hyperlipidaemic rats of SPL55. Analysis of tissue sections showed that SPL55 treatment could markedly inhibit hepatic lipid accumulation and steatosis. Moreover, SPL55 regulated the mRNA and protein expression levels of SREBP-1c, HMG-CoA, PEPCK, ACC, and AMPK genes involved in lipid metabolism. Furthermore, SPL55 led to decrease the abundances of Turicibacter, Clostridium_XlVa, and Romboutsia, which were positive correlation with lipid metabolism indicators, and has also enriched Alloprevotella, Prevotella, Porphyromonadaceae, and Barnesiella. These results provided evidence that SPL55 might be developed as a functional food to ameliorate lipid metabolic disorders and hyperlipidaemia.