Antidiabetic Effects of Gegen Qinlian Decoction via the Gut Microbiota Are Attributable to Its Key Ingredient Berberine.

ABSTRACT: Gegen Qinlian Decoction (GQD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has long been used for the treatment of common metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the main limitation of its wider application is ingredient complexity of this formula. Thus, it is critically important to identify the major active ingredients of GQD and to illustrate mechanisms underlying its action. Here, we compared the effects of GQD and berberine, a hypothetical key active pharmaceutical ingredient of GQD, on a diabetic rat model by comprehensive analyses of gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, proinflammatory cytokines, and ileum transcriptomics. Our results show that berberine and GQD had similar effects on lowering blood glucose levels, modulating gut microbiota, inducing i

SUBMITTER: Xu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8377040 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature