Banana starch intervention ameliorates diabetes-induced mood disorders via modulation of the gut microbiota-brain axis in diabetic rats

• Published in: Food and agricultural immunology Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 377 - 402
• Main Authors: Bai, Yongliang, Xin, Meiguo, Lin, Junming, Xie, Jing, Lin, Roumin, Peng, Zhenshan, Guo, Jingwen, Bai, Weidong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 31.12.2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Animal behavior; banana; Bananas; Brain; Cholesterol; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diet; Disorders; Fruits; gut-microbiota-brain axis; High density lipoprotein; High fat diet; Insulin; Insulin resistance; Intestinal microflora; Metabolites; Microbiota; Modulation; Mood; mood disorders; Musaceae; resistant starch; Starch; Swimming
• ISSN: 0954-0105; 1465-3443
• DOI: 10.1080/09540105.2022.2071846

Bananas (Musa spp.) enriched in resistant starch displayed multiple health benefits for diabetes. Here, we showed that banana starch administered to diabetic rats improved animal depressive-like behaviours of mood disorders. Four weeks of banana starch diet to high-sugar, high-fat, and STZ-induced diabetic rats lowered their blood insulin resistance, but increased their plasma HDL cholesterol and 5-HT levels, compared to the control groups of rats. The banana starch diet reconstructed the gut microbiota and increased their metabolite of butyrate, as well as increased the activity of superoxidase in diabetic rats. Furthermore, Banana starch intervention significantly increased the exhaustion time of the diabetic rats, and almost restored it to the normal state of control groups in their swimming and tail suspension tests. Together, our results indicated the modulation of the gut-microbiota-brain axis as a possible mechanism that enables the banana starch diet as a potential therapeutic way for diabetes-associated mood disorders.