OBJECTIVETo observe the protecting actions of Peristrophe roxburghiane on liver functions and structure in fatty liver rats caused by insulin resistance.

METHODHigh-fat-sugar diet was fed in rats to produce insulin resistance and fatty liver model, and then P. roxburghiane was administered for 8 weeks, and the rats were killed and the blood was sampled to measure the levels of FFA, TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C, and the activities of AST, ALT. The fasting serum glucose (FBG) and insulin were measured, and insulin-sensitivity index was calculated. The liver was weighed and collected to calculate liver index and measured the activities of GSH-PX, SOD, CAT and the amount of MDA.

RESULTHigh and low dosage of P. roxburghiane can decrease the levels of FFA, TG and increase the level of HDL-C, reduce the activities of ALT, AST and liver index, and reduce the damaged degree of the liver tissue significantly. High and low dosage of P. roxburghiane can significantly enhance the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX, reduce the amount of MDA.

CONCLUSIONP. roxburghiane possesses regulating action on the serum lipid, blood glucose and insulin, and improving liver functions of fatty liver rats induced by high-fat-sugar diet, and the acting mechanism may be concerned with enhanced antioxidative ability.