Total dietary fiber of tartary buckwheat alleviates T2DM through the IRS-1/PI3K/AKT pathway and gut microbiota-bile acids-TGR5/FXR axis in db/db mice.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Preclinical animal study in db/db mice
PubMed 40101829 · doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.142145
What was done
Researchers evaluated the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of a 10% buckwheat total dietary fiber (BDF) diet administered over 8 weeks to db/db diabetic mice. The study assessed changes in glycemic markers, lipid profiles, body weight, inflammation, intestinal function, gut microbiota composition, bile acid metabolites, bile acid receptors (TGR5 and FXR), and hepatic IRS-1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activation.
What was found
The abstract reports directional outcomes without exact numerical values or effect sizes. An 8-week 10% BDF intervention in db/db mice significantly improved hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, elevated body weight, inflammatory response, and impaired intestinal function. BDF altered gut microbiota distribution, modulated bile acid metabolites and their receptors (TGR5 and FXR), and activated the hepatic IRS-1/PI3K/AKT pathway, which was associated with reduced gluconeogenesis and increased glycogen synthesis.
Why it matters
This paper identifies potential mechanistic pathways—specifically hepatic insulin signaling and the gut microbiota–bile acid–TGR5/FXR axis—through which total dietary fiber from tartary buckwheat may mitigate metabolic dysfunction in diabetes.
Limits
The findings are derived entirely from an in vivo rodent model (db/db mice) and cannot be directly translated to human type 2 diabetes without clinical validation. The abstract reports no sample sizes, exact numerical data, confidence intervals, or details on control groups.
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