Regulatory Efficacy of Brown Seaweed Lessonia nigrescens Extract on the Gene Expression Profile and Intestinal Microflora in Type 2 Diabetic Mice

Scope In this study, the antidiabetic activity of Lessonia nigrescens ethanolic extract (LNE) is investigated in streptozotocin (SZT)‐induced type 2 diabetic mice fed with a high‐sucrose/high‐fat diet. Methods and results Ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photo‐DAD and electospray ionization–mass spectrometry (ESI–MS) is employed to analyze the major compounds in LNE. The components of the intestinal microflora in type 2 diabetic mice are analyzed by high‐throughput next‐generation 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Fasting blood glucose levels in diabetic mice are significantly decreased after LNE administration. The histology reveals that LNE could protect the cellular architecture of liver and kidney. LNE treatment significantly increases Bacteroidetes and decreases Firmicutes populations in intestinal microflora. Specifically, It could selectively enrich the amounts of beneficial bacteria, Barnesiella, as well as reduce the abundances of Clostridium and Alistipes. The increased gene and protein expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) in the liver are observed in LNE treatment groups, while the expressions of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) are significantly downregulated. Conclusion The above findings suggest that LNE could be considered as a functional food for reducing blood glucose and regulating intestinal microflora. Lessonia nigrescens ethanolic extract affects the relative abundance of intestinal microflora in type 2 diabetic mice at the genus level.