Gut Microbiota Combined With Metabolomics to Reveal the Mechanism of Tang Wang Ming Mu Granule in the Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy in Mice

ABSTRACT Diabetes retinopathy (DR) is one of the serious complications of diabetes. Clinical practice has proved that Tang Wang Ming Mu Granule (TWMM) can improve symptoms of DR patients. The mechanism of TWMM in treating DR in mice was studied, combining gut microbiota with metabolomics. A high‐fat and high‐sugar diet combined with streptozotocin (STZ) injection was used to create a mouse model of DR. The C57BL6/J wild‐type mice were divided into five groups, including normal control, DR model, TWMM (2.7 and 10.8 g/kg) treatment, and the positive control treatment groups. Based on urine metabolomics and 16S rDNA sequencing of fecal samples, the effects of TWMM on host metabolism and intestinal microbiota were studied. The results showed that TWMM reverses the disordered intestinal flora to normal. In addition, the pathway prediction of intestinal microorganisms was related to the metabolic pathways. Meanwhile, the metabolomics analysis found that the differential metabolites were mainly concentrated in amino acids and their metabolites, carbohydrates, and their metabolites. The Shigellosis pathway attracted attention, and Shigella shows good indication in the treatment. The research provides a method for metabolic disease study with gut microbiota combined with metabolomics and treatment targets and pathways of DR.