OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Bushen Huatan Recipe (BHR) on the Akt signal pathway in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) model rats with insulin resistance (IR).

METHODSFifty Wistar female PCOS rats were randomly and equally divided into 5 groups, i.e., the control group, the model group, the low dose BHR group (5.406 g/kg), the medium dose BHR group (10.812 g/kg), and the high dose BHR group (21.624 g/kg), 10 in each group. Levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin were detected to calculate homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), glycogen synthetase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta), glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4), and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR-gamma) mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. The expression of insulin signal transduction molecular kinase B (Akt) was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, HOMA-IR and the mRNA expression of PPAR-gamma mRNA significantly increased, the mRNA expression of GSK-3beta, GLUT-4, and IRS-1, protein expression of Akt and p-Akt significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, HOMA-IR significantly decreased, the mRNA expression of GSK-3beta, GLUT-4, IRS-1, and Akt protein significantly increased in the high dose BHR group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The mRNA expression of p-Akt protein increased more obviously (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). mRNA expression of GSK- 3beta and GLUT-4 significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the mRNA expression of PPAR-gamma significantly decreased in the low and middle BHR groups (P < 0.05). The expression of p-Akt significantly increased in the low dose BHR group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIR and abnormal insulin signal pathway existed in PCOS model rats. BHR could improve IR of PCOS rats, which was correlated with regulating protein expression of insulin signal transduction molecules.