Effects of combined D-fagomine and omega-3 PUFAs on gut microbiota subpopulations and diabetes risk factors in rats fed a high-fat diet.

Food contains bioactive compounds that may prevent changes in gut microbiota associated with Westernized diets. The aim of this study is to explore the possible additive effects of D-fagomine and ω-3 PUFAs (EPA/DHA 1:1) on gut microbiota and related risk factors during early stages in the development of fat-induced pre-diabetes. Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were fed a standard diet, or a high-fat (HF) diet supplemented with D-fagomine, EPA/DHA 1:1, a combination of both, or neither, for 24 weeks. The variables measured were fasting glucose and glucose tolerance, plasma insulin, liver inflammation, fecal/cecal gut bacterial subgroups and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The animals supplemented with D-fagomine alone and in combination with ω-3 PUFAs accumulated less fat than those in the non-supplemented HF group and those given only ω-3 PUFAs. The combined supplements attenuated the high-fat-induced incipient insulin resistance (IR), and liver inflammation, while increasing the cecal content, the Bacteroidetes:Firmicutes ratio and the populations of Bifidobacteriales. The functional effects of the combination of D-fagomine and EPA/DHA 1:1 against gut dysbiosis and the very early metabolic alterations induced by a high-fat diet are mainly those of D-fagomine complemented by the anti-inflammatory action of ω-3 PUFAs.

Combined Buckwheat d-Fagomine and Fish Omega-3 PUFAs Stabilize the Populations of Gut Prevotella and Bacteroides While Reducing Weight Gain in Rats.

Some functional food components may help maintain homeostasis by promoting balanced gut microbiota. Here, we explore the possible complementary effects of d-fagomine and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid/docosahexaenoic acid (EPA/DHA 1:1) on putatively beneficial gut bacterial strains. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were supplemented with d-fagomine, ω-3 PUFAs, or both, for 23 weeks. Bacterial subgroups were evaluated in fecal DNA by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and short-chain fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography. We found that the populations of the genus Prevotella remained stable over time in animals supplemented with d-fagomine, independently of ω-3 PUFA supplementation. Animals in these groups gained less weight than controls and rats given only ω-3 PUFAs. d-Fagomine supplementation together with ω-3 PUFAs maintained the relative populations of Bacteroides. ω-3 PUFAs alone or combined with d-fagomine reduced the amount of acetic acid and total short-chain fatty acids in feces. The plasma levels of pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid derived metabolites, triglycerides and cholesterol were lower in both groups supplemented with ω-3 PUFAs. The d-fagomine and ω-3 PUFAs combination provided the functional benefits of each supplement. Notably, it helped stabilize populations of Prevotella in the rat intestinal tract while reducing weight gain and providing the anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits of ω-3 PUFAs.

Functional Effects of the Buckwheat Iminosugar d-Fagomine on Rats with Diet-Induced Prediabetes.

SCOPE: The goals of this work are to test if d-fagomine, an iminosugar that reduces body weight gain, can delay the appearance of a fat-induced prediabetic state in a rat model and to explore possible mechanisms behind its functional action. METHODS AND RESULTS: Wistar Kyoto rats were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with d-fagomine (or not, for comparison) or a standard diet (controls) for 24 weeks. The variables measured were fasting blood glucose and insulin levels; glucose tolerance; diacylglycerols as intracellular mediators of insulin resistance in adipose tissue (AT), liver, and muscle; inflammation markers (plasma IL-6 and leptin, and liver and AT histology markers); eicosanoids from arachidonic acid as lipid mediators of inflammation; and the populations of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Enterobacteriales, and Bifidobacteriales in feces. It was found that d-fagomine reduces fat-induced impaired glucose tolerance, inflammation markers, and mediators (hepatic microgranulomas and lobular inflammation, plasma IL-6, prostaglandin E2 , and leukotriene B4 ) while attenuating the changes in the populations of Enterobacteriales and Bifidobacteriales. CONCLUSION: d-Fagomine delays the development of a fat-induced prediabetic state in rats by reducing low-grade inflammation. We suggest that the anti-inflammatory effect of d-fagomine may be linked to a reduction in fat-induced overpopulation of minor gut bacteria.

Administration of miglitol until 30 min after the start of a meal is effective in type 2 diabetic patients.

Miglitol, a pseudomonosaccharide alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (alphaGI), was more effective at reducing blood glucose levels at 30 and 60 min after a meal than voglibose. Speculating that miglitol administered even after the start of a meal may be effective, we evaluated the timing of administration of miglitol on the plasma glucose and serum insulin levels in 13 type 2 diabetic patients. Miglitol was administered in four different intake manners in each patient (control: no miglitol; intake 1: just before breakfast; intake 2: 15 min after the beginning of breakfast; intake 3: 30 min after the beginning of breakfast). The area under the curve (AUC) of plasma glucose was significantly decreased under all the intake conditions, as compared with the AUC in the control. The AUC of serum insulin tended to be lower in all the three groups than in the control, although the differences were not statistically significant. Thus, miglitol administered anytime within 30 min after the start of a meal is effective for glycemic control. These results suggest that if patients miss taking miglitol at the beginning of a meal, they can still take the drug until 30 min after starting their meal.

Divided-dose administration of miglitol just before and 15 minutes after the start of a meal smoothes postprandial plasma glucose excursions and serum insulin responses in healthy men.

We recently demonstrated that administration of miglitol at 15 min after the start of a meal decreased the area under the curve (AUC) of plasma glucose, similar to the observation following its administration just before a meal. This finding prompted us to examine whether a divided-dose regimen of miglitol might attenuate postprandial glucose excursions even more effectively. We, therefore, examined several schedules of miglitol administration in 15 healthy men. Miglitol was administered by four different schedules in each subject (control: no miglitol, intake 1: drug administered just before a meal (50 mg); intake 2: drug administered at 15 min after the start of a meal (50 mg); intake 3: drug administered in two divided doses: just before a meal (25 mg) and at 15 min after the start of a meal (25 mg). The AUC of glucose excursions, defined as increment above the fasting glucose level, (AUC(0-180 min) of glucose excursions) was significantly reduced as compared with that in the control condition after miglitol administration by intake schedule 3, while this parameter showed a tendency towards decrease after the drug administration by intake schedules 1 and 2. The AUC(0-180 min) of the serum insulin level was also significantly decreased for all the intake schedules of miglitol, as compared with that in the control condition. Thus, administration of miglitol in two divided doses appeared to be the most suitable for obtaining effective regulation of postprandial glucose excursions in healthy men. This result may suggest that the divided-dose administration regimen may also be effective in diabetic patients.

Fate of d-Fagomine after Oral Administration to Rats.

d-Fagomine is an iminosugar found in buckwheat that is capable of inhibiting the adhesion of potentially pathogenic bacteria to epithelial mucosa and reducing the postprandial blood glucose concentration. This paper evaluates the excretion and metabolism of orally administered d-fagomine in rats and compares outcomes with the fate of 1-deoxynojirimycin. d-Fagomine and 1-deoxynojirimycin show similar absorption and excretion kinetics. d-Fagomine is partly absorbed (41-84%, dose of 2 mg/kg of body weight) and excreted in urine within 8 h, while the non-absorbed fraction is cleared in feces within 24 h. d-Fagomine is partially methylated (about 10% in urine and 3% in feces). The concentration of d-fagomine in urine from 1 to 6 h after administration is higher than 10 mg/L, the concentration that inhibits adhesion of Escherichia coli. Orally administered d-fagomine is partially absorbed and then rapidly excreted in urine, where it reaches a concentration that may be protective against urinary tract infections.

Parkinson disease-linked GBA mutation effects reversed by molecular chaperones in human cell and fly models.

GBA gene mutations are the greatest cause of Parkinson disease (PD). GBA encodes the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase) but the mechanisms by which loss of GCase contributes to PD remain unclear. Inhibition of autophagy and the generation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are both implicated. Mutant GCase can unfold in the ER and be degraded via the unfolded protein response, activating ER stress and reducing lysosomal GCase. Small molecule chaperones that cross the blood brain barrier help mutant GCase refold and traffic correctly to lysosomes are putative treatments for PD. We treated fibroblast cells from PD patients with heterozygous GBA mutations and Drosophila expressing human wild-type, N370S and L444P GBA with the molecular chaperones ambroxol and isofagomine. Both chaperones increased GCase levels and activity, but also GBA mRNA, in control and mutant GBA fibroblasts. Expression of mutated GBA in Drosophila resulted in dopaminergic neuronal loss, a progressive locomotor defect, abnormal aggregates in the ER and increased levels of the ER stress reporter Xbp1-EGFP. Treatment with both chaperones lowered ER stress and prevented the loss of motor function, providing proof of principle that small molecule chaperones can reverse mutant GBA-mediated ER stress in vivo and might prove effective for treating PD.

D-Fagomine attenuates metabolic alterations induced by a high-energy-dense diet in rats.

d-Fagomine is a natural iminosugar that counteracts the short-term effects of a high-energy-dense diet on body weight, fasting blood glucose levels and the proportion of gut Enterobacteriales. This suggests that supplementation with d-fagomine for longer periods may delay the onset of other factors related to metabolic syndrome. Here we evaluate the effects of d-fagomine dietary supplementation on relevant metabolic hormones and lipid peroxidation. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat high-sucrose diet supplemented or not with d-fagomine (0.065% w/w) for 9 weeks. Weight gain, plasma triglycerides, glucose, insulin, glucagon, ghrelin, leptin, and urine F2-isoprostanes were evaluated. d-Fagomine attenuated the changes induced by the high-energy-dense diet in triglycerides and all the hormones tested. These results suggest that d-fagomine may help to avert the complications associated with unhealthy eating by counteracting the effects of high-energy-dense diets during the early stages of the development of metabolic disorders.