Berberine Improves Glucose Homeostasis in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats in Association with Multiple Factors of Insulin Resistance
Open Access
- 20 November 2011
- journal article
- Published by Hindawi Limited in ISRN Endocrinology
- Vol. 2011, 1-8
- https://doi.org/10.5402/2011/519371
Abstract
The present study was carried out to determine the effect of berberine on glucose homeostasis and several biomarkers associated with insulin sensitivity in male Wistar rats with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Rats with fasting blood glucose 16.7 mmol/L after 2 weeks of STZ injection were divided into two groups. One group was used as the diabetic control and another treated by gavage feeding with 100 mg/kg/d of berberine in water containing 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose. A group of rats without receiving STZ was used as the normal control. After 7 weeks, berberine supplementation moderately but significantly lowered fasting blood glucose levels and improved oral glucose tolerance. Berberine lowered plasma free fatty acids and C-reactive protein levels without affecting plasma insulin levels. Diabetic rats treated with berberine showed significantly lower plasma triacylglycerol and cholesterol levels. Furthermore, berberine inhibited dipeptidyl peptidase-4 and protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B activities. In conclusion, berberine showed a dramatic effect of lowering blood cholesterol and triacylglycerols and improved moderately glucose homeostasis in STZ-induced diabetic rats in association with multiple factors related to insulin resistance.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Research Council Canada
This publication has 41 references indexed in Scilit:
- Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Is a Novel Adipokine Potentially Linking Obesity to the Metabolic SyndromeDiabetes, 2011
- Hypoglycemic and insulin-sensitizing effects of berberine in high-fat diet- and streptozotocin-induced diabetic ratsMetabolism, 2011
- Berberine inhibits PTP1B activity and mimics insulin actionBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2010
- Lipid‐induced Insulin Resistance Is Associated With Increased Monocyte Expression of Scavenger Receptor CD36 and Internalization of Oxidized LDLObesity, 2009
- Relationships Between Circulating Metabolic Intermediates and Insulin Action in Overweight to Obese, Inactive Men and WomenDiabetes Care, 2009
- Obesity and Free Fatty AcidsEndocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America, 2008
- The Characterization of High-Fat Diet and Multiple Low-Dose Streptozotocin Induced Type 2 Diabetes Rat ModelExperimental Diabetes Research, 2008
- Free fatty acids and insulin resistanceCurrent Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 2007
- Berberine reduces the expression of adipogenic enzymes and inflammatory molecules of 3T3-L1 adipocyteExperimental & Molecular Medicine, 2006
- Combination of high-fat diet-fed and low-dose streptozotocin-treated rat: A model for type 2 diabetes and pharmacological screeningPharmacological Research, 2005