Effect Evaluation And Mechanism Study Of Icariin Against Type II Diabetes

OBJECTIVE : To evaluate the anti-diabetic effects of icariin in the STZ-induced diabetes model and to determine the effective dosage and associated mechanisms.METHODS:The rats were assigned into control, diabetes, metformin and icariin grous(low, middle and high). The blood gluces level was determined with glucometer.The effectsof icariin on the pancreas of model rats were examined with histological methods. The m RNA expression of GLUT4 in skeletal muscle was determined by RT-PCR. The protein levels of GLUT4, p AMPK and t AMPK in skeletal muscle were examined by wersten blots. RESULTS : Our results showed that icariin could significantly lower the blood glucose level in STZ-induced type II diabetes rat model and maintain the oral glucose tolerance. In addition, icariin could significantly attenuate the STZ-induced damage to pancreatic islets. Further study showed that the anti-diabetic effect of icariin was not asscoaited with modulation of serum adiponectin while associated with upregualtion of GLUT4 expression and activation of AMPK signaling pathway in skeletal muscle. CONCLUSION : Icariin exerts anti-diabetic effect in STZ-induced diabetes rat model. The underlying mechanism of the anti-diabetic effect of icariin might be relavant to the upregulation of GLUT4 and activation of AMPK in skeletal muscle.