Reference Number: 459
Year: 2018
Link: Link to original paper
Health: Glycemic response | Gut Microbiome - Creating Healthier Bread to Support Optimal Gut Health | Metabolic syndrome
Nutrition: Antioxidants | Carbohydrates | Polyphenols | Prebiotic | Short chain fatty acids
Yeast: Species
Summary
Pumpkin polysaccharide is able to alleviate diabetes, but understanding of the underlining mechanism is still limited. In this study, we hypothesized that the alleviating effects of pumpkin polysaccharide is modulated via changes in the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production in type 2 diabetic rats. After the type 2 diabetic model successfully was established, three groups of high-fat diet induced diabetic rats were intragastrically administered pumpkin polysaccharide, metformin, or saline solution respectively. We utilized 16S rRNA gene sequencing and multivariate statistics to analyze the structural and key species of gut microbiota in the type 2 diabetic rats. The results revealed that pumpkin polysaccharide alleviated the type 2 diabetes by improving the insulin tolerance and decreasing the levels of serum glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), while increasing the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). Simultaneously, pumpkin polysaccharide changed the structure of gut microbiota and had selective enrichment in key species of Bacteroidetes, Prevotella, Deltaproteobacteria, Oscillospira, Veillonellaceae, Phascolarctobacterium, Sutterella, and Bilophila. The correlations between the key species and SCFA production indicated the underlining mechanisms of pumpkin polysaccharide on type 2 diabetes.
Significance of this study to the baker:
We include pumpkin and butternut squash in our botanical blends to improve diversity and some of our recipes, such as the Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Pie.
Cucurbita is the genus of herbaceous vines that include the pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) and the butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata). These plants are rich in polysaccharides, particularly pectin. Their rich yellow / orange colour comes from the level of carotenoids, the phytochemicals found naturally in the plant. Human studies are currently lacking, however in vitro and in vivo studies, such as this one above, suggest that the polysaccharides from these plants may influence our glucose balance via their impact on the gut microbiota. There is also an increase in the production of short chain fatty acids (SFCAs) after consumption of pumpkin indicated too in this animal study.
