Background: Astragalus  possesses therapeutic effects for type 2 diabetes (T2D), while its action mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In view of the pathogenic associations between gut microbiota and T2D, we explored the effect of astragalus on gut-microbiota composition of T2D mice.
Materials and methods: Modulation effects of astragalus on gut microbiota of T2D-model mice were assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Results: Inhibited blood-glucose and body-weight levels of T2D mice by astragalus were accompanied by gut microbiota–composition alteration. Astragalus administration significantly increased gut-microbiota richness and diversity in T2D mice and significantly altered the abundance of several bacterial taxa, inducing increased abundance of Lactobacillus  and Bifidobacterium . PICRUSt software revealed the relationship between astragalus and T2D.
Conclusion: Due to previously reported decreased gut-microbiota richness and diversity and reduced abundance of key species of Lactobacillus  and Bifidobacterium , more studies are encouraged to explore the contribution of gut-microbiota alteration by astragalus to its anti-T2D effect.
Keywords: astragalus, type 2 diabetes, gut microbiota, alteration, 16S rRNA gene sequencing