Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2025

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
Hypoglycemic effects of different molecular weight konjac glucomannans via intestinal microbiota and SCFAs mediated
Jie Deng1, Xiaoying Zou2, Yuxuan Liang2
1Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Food Safety and Quality, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China; College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Shunde Vocational and Technical College, Foshan 528300, China.
Abstract:
The hypoglycemic effects of konjac glucomannans (KGMs) are well recognized, and our previous study showed KGMs with different molecular weight have different hypoglycemic effects on diabetes rats, but the detailed mechanisms still remain unclear. In this study, KGMs with medium molecular weight (KGM-M, 757.1 kDa) and low molecular weight (KGM-L, 87.3 kDa) were utilized to investigate the possible mechanism on hypoglycemic effects of type 2 diabetic (T2DM) rats. The results revealed that KGM-M had better effects than KGM-L on decreasing fasting blood glucose, mitigating insulin resistance and improving inflammation. Further mechanism analysis showed that KGM-M better enriched gut flora diversity and the abundance of Ruminococcus and Lachnoclostridium, which was accompanied by increased short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production and expression of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and improved regulation on bile acid synthesis. Antibiotics treatment eliminated the beneficial effects of KGMs on gut flora, SCFAs, GPCRs and bile acid synthesis. By contrast, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) treatment restored the structure of intestinal microbiota. And after FMT treatment, KGM-M displayed higher hypoglycemic activity than KGM-L, probably due to the better effects on intestinal microbiota, SCFAs production, GPCRs expression and bile acid synthesis inhibition.
Related Concept Videos
Glucose Absorption Into the Small Intestine
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors
Acarbose and miglitol are...
Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by...
Carbohydrate Absorption
After being swallowed, the partially digested carbohydrates mix with gastric secretions in the stomach. However, the acidic environment...
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon
Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...

