Rutin alleviates colon lesions and regulates gut microbiota in diabetic mice

Diabetes is a common metabolic disorder which has become a major health problem worldwide. In this study, we investigated the role of rutin in attenuating diabetes and preventing diabetes-related colon lesions in mice potentially through regulation of gut microbiota. The rutin from tartary buckwheat as analyzed by HPLC was administered intragastrically to diabetic mice, and then the biochemical parameters, overall community structure and composition of gut microbiota in diabetic mice were assayed. Results showed that rutin lowered serum glucose, improved serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, triglyceride concentrations, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and serum insulin in diabetic mice. Notably, rutin obviously alleviated colon lesions in diabetic mice. Moreover, rutin also significantly regulated gut microbiota dysbiosis and enriched the beneficial microbiota, such as Akkermansia . Rutin selectively increased the short-chain fatty acid producing bacteria, such as Alistipes and Roseburia , and decreased the abundance of diabetes-related gut microbiota, such as Escherichia and Mucispirillum . Our data suggested that rutin exerted anti-diabetic effect and alleviated colon lesions in diabetic mice possibly through regulating gut microbiota dysbiosis, which might be a potential mechanism through which rutin alleviates the diabetes-related symptoms.