Eubiotic effect of buckwheat d-fagomine in healthy rats

Abstract

Diversity and balance of gut microorganisms is fundamental for health throughout life. The aim of this study is to explore the possible eubiotic effect of the buckwheat iminosugar d-fagomine (0.096% w/w in standard feed) in growing healthy Wistar Kyoto rats. Feed and energy intake, residual energy in feces, and body weight gain were independent of d-fagomine supplementation throughout the intervention (24 weeks). The populations of significant bacterial subgroups and species were determined in fecal and cecal DNA by quantitative real-time PCR. d-Fagomine increased the Bacteroidetes:Firmicutes ratio and partially counteracted the loss of Lactobacilliales and Bifidobacteriales over time. The supplementation reduced the levels of excreted short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as determined by gas chromatography. This paper provides preliminary evidence that d-fagomine has the capacity to promote microbial functional diversity by increasing the Bacteroidetes:Firmicutes ratio and to mitigate the age-related reduction in populations of the putatively beneficial Lactobacilliales and Bifidobacteriales.