The Sulforaphane Purified from Broccoli Seeds Could Improve the Glycolipid Metabolism of High-Fat Diet-Induced Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Mice by Improving the Intestinal Microflora

Sulforaphane (SFN) has various biological effects on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, only a few studies have attempted to elucidate the effect of sulforaphane on intestinal microflora in T2DM. This study established the T2DM model by intervening with a high-fat diet and chemically inducing streptozotocin in ICR mice to study the improvement effect of different doses of sulforaphane on T2DM mice. This study hypothesized that sulforaphane could improve glycolipid metabolism by improving intestinal microflora in T2DM mice and aimed to verify the effects of the gradient dose of SFN on glycolipid metabolism and intestinal microflora in T2DM mice. The results showed that different doses of SFN could significantly reduce fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, and glycosylated hemoglobin levels and improve glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. Metformin (Met) and high dose of SFN could significantly increase the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota and decrease the relative abundance of Murbaculaceae. Low and high doses of SFN could increase the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, and there is a significant correlation between glycolipid metabolism and intestinal microflora. In summary, our research suggests that different doses of sulforaphane could alleviate hyperglycemic symptoms. However, low and high doses of sulforaphane could improve intestinal microflora, while medium doses do not, which demonstrates that sulforaphane does not have a dose-dependent effect on improving intestinal microflora levels in T2DM mice.