Berberine regulates glucose metabolism in largemouth bass by modulating intestinal microbiota

Abstract

This study examined the role of intestinal microbiota in berberine (BBR)-mediated glucose (GLU) metabolism regulation in largemouth bass. Four groups of largemouth bass (133.7 ± 1.43 g) were fed with control diet, BBR (1 g/kg feed) supplemented diet, antibiotic (ATB, 0.9 g/kg feed) supplemented diet and BBR + ATB (1g/kg feed +0.9 g/kg feed) supplemented diet for 50 days. BBR improved growth, decreased the hepatosomatic and visceral weight indices, significantly downregulated the serum total cholesterol and GLU levels, and significantly upregulated the serum total bile acid (TBA) levels. The hepatic hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, GLU-6-phosphatase and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase activities in the largemouth bass were significantly upregulated when compared with those in the control group. The ATB group exhibited significantly decreased final bodyweight, weight gain, specific growth rates and serum TBA levels, and significantly increased hepatosomatic and viscera weight indices, hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, phosphofructokinase, and pyruvate carboxylase activities, and serum GLU levels. Meanwhile, the BBR + ATB group exhibited significantly decreased final weight, weight gain and specific growth rates, and TBA levels and significantly increased hepatosomatic and viscera weight indices and GLU levels. High-throughput sequencing revealed that compared with those in the control group, the Chao one index and Bacteroidota contents were significantly upregulated and the Firmicutes contents were downregulated in the BBR group. Additionally, the Shannon and Simpson indices and Bacteroidota levels were significantly downregulated, whereas the Firmicutes levels were significantly upregulated in ATB and BBR + ATB groups. The results of in-vitro culture of intestinal microbiota revealed that BBR significantly increased the number of culturable bacteria. The characteristic bacterium in the BBR group was Enterobacter cloacae. Biochemical identification analysis revealed that E. cloacae metabolizes carbohydrates. The size and degree of vacuolation of the hepatocytes in the control, ATB, and ATB + BBR groups were higher than those in the BBR group. Additionally, BBR decreased the number of nuclei at the edges and the distribution of lipids in the liver tissue. Collectively, BBR reduced the blood GLU level and improved GLU metabolism in largemouth bass. Comparative analysis of experiments with ATB and BBR supplementation revealed that BBR regulated GLU metabolism in largemouth bass by modulating intestinal microbiota.

The Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Potential of Berberine and Silymarin on Acetaminophen Induced Toxicity in Cyprinus carpio L.

“…Regarding MDA values in the liver, although a slight decrease was observed in treatment groups, they did not show significant differences (p > 0.05) either after the feeding experiment or after the APAP test. In line with our findings, BBR supplementation (50 mg/kg) reduced hepatic MDA in blunt snout bream [109] and in largemouth bass fed with BBR-supplemented high-starch diets [81]. BBR supplementation in a high starch diet of black sea bream also reduced MDA content after the ammonia challenge [110].…”

“…In our study, the administration of BBR in carp diet resulted in superior SGR, for both concentrations (100 and 200 mg/kg feed), compared with the control variants; nevertheless, better feeding efficiency was observed in groups fed with higher BBR concentration (in BBR200). A comparable improvement in growth performance was documented for black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), which had a superior growth performance after administration of BBR (98.26 mg/kg and 196.21 mg/kg) in feeds with a high lipid content [80], for largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) provided with 1 g/kg berberine [81] or for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) receiving up to 9 g/kg berberine as supplements in normal diets [38]. However, an excessive intake of dietary BBR has been observed to impede fish growth, as evidenced in black carp fed with 392.07 mg/kg berberine [80] or blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) fed with 100 mg/kg berberine [75].…”