Cited by 635Gut microbiota and healthBerberine and alkaloids researchGastrointestinal motility and disorders

Modulation of gut microbiota by berberine and metformin during the treatment of high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats

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Zhang, Xu, Zhao, Yufeng, Xu, Jia, Xue, Zhengsheng, Zhang, Menghui, Pang, Xiaoyan, Zhang, Xiaojun, Zhao, Liping·2015·Scientific Reports

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests that the gut microbiota is an important factor in mediating the development of obesity-related metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes. Metformin and berberine, two clinically effective drugs for treating diabetes, have recently been shown to exert their actions through modulating the gut microbiota. In this study, we demonstrated that metformin and berberine similarly shifted the overall structure of the gut microbiota in rats. Both drugs showed reverting effects on the high-fat diet-induced structural changes of gut microbiota. The diversity of gut microbiota was significantly reduced by both berberine- and metformin-treatments. Nearest shrunken centroids analysis identified 134 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) responding to the treatments, which showed close associations with the changes of obese phenotypes. Sixty out of the 134 OTUs were decreased by both drugs, while those belonging to putative short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)-producing bacteria, including Allobaculum, Bacteriodes, Blautia, Butyricoccus, and Phascolarctobacterium, were markedly increased by both berberine and, to a lesser extent, metformin. Taken together, our findings suggest that berberine and metformin showed similarity in modulating the gut microbiota, including the enrichment of SCFA-producing bacteria and reduction of microbial diversity, which may contribute to their beneficial effects to the host.

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Authors
Zhang, X., Zhao, Y., Xu, J., Xue, Z., Zhang, M., Pang, X., Zhang, X., & Zhao, L.
Affiliations
Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
Corresponding author
Zhao, Liping
Venue
Scientific Reports
Published
2015-09-23
Volume
5
Issue
1
Pages
14405-14405
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2396003270
Cited by
630
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 23 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 51 · 2022: 85 · 2021: 104 · 2020: 85 · 2019: 68 · 2018: 66 · 2017: 43 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 2
FWCI
18.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (31330005, 31121064, 30730005, 81273720)
  • National Science and Technology Major Project
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Berberine and alkaloids research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
Keywords
gut microbiota, berberine, metformin, high-fat diet-induced obesity, type 2 diabetes, short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, microbial diversity, Allobaculum, Blautia, Phascolarctobacterium, obesity-related metabolic disorders
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Animals, Bacteria, Base Sequence, Berberine, Fatty Acids, Volatile, Feces, Male, Metformin, Obesity, Rats, Wistar, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Anti-Obesity Agents, Gastrointestinal Tract, Rats, Diet, High-Fat

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