OBJECTIVETo study the protective effects of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HLJD) on the oxidative damage of liver mitochondria in insulin resistant rats and to explore its possible mechanism.

METHODSMale Wistar rats were fed with high-fat diet to set up an insulin resistant model, and randomly divided into four groups, the control group and three test groups intervened respectively with HLJD, berberine, and thioctic acid for 6 weeks. The liver mitochondrial function and energy metabolic capability were assayed by measuring the activities of ATPase, succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), cytochrome oxidase (CCO) and the content of ATP in liver tissue. The anti-oxidation capability of liver mitochondria was determined by measuring the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA).

RESULTSHLJD showed the effect in improving the activities of GSH-Px, SOD and ATPase, inhibiting the production of MDA, promoting the energy metabolism and strengthening the activities of SDH and CCO in liver tissue of insulin resistant rats.

CONCLUSIONHLJD could improve the liver mitochondria function and energy metabolism, strengthen the mitochondrial anti-oxidation capacity, and showed evidently protective effect on liver mitochondrial damage in insulin resistant rats. The mechanism might be correlated with its scavenging action on oxygen radicals and inhibition on lipid-peroxidation.