The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Compound Yihe Tea on improving insulin resistance in obesity mice. Thirty-two male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: the normal fat diet group(NFD group), high fat diet group(HFD group), Compound Yihe Tea low dosage group［20 mg/(kg ·d), YH-L group］ and high dosage group［40 mg/(kg ·d), YH-H group］. NFD group was given standard feed, and the remaining mice were administered with high fat diet. After 6 weeks, YH-H and YH-L groups were given Compound Yihe Tea for 6 weeks. Blood glucose was measured at week 11 and serum levels of total cholesterol(TC), serum triglyceride(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)were measured at week 12. Liver tissues were prepared for oil red O and HE staining. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to test the protein expression of GLUT4 in liver. Protein expressions of PI3K, Akt and GLUT4 in epididymis white adipose tissue(WAT)were tested by Western blot. The results showed that Compound Yihe Tea could effectively reduce body weights and the serum levels of TC, TG and LDL-C. Furthermore Compound Yihe Tea could improve the histopathological changes of liver, up-regulate the protein expression of PI3K, Akt and GLUT4 in epididymis WAT and the protein expression of GLUT4 in liver. Compound Yihe Tea can reduce the fat accumulation in liver tissue, improve the indexes of blood glucose and lipid levels, and improve insulin resistance via PI3K-AKT-GLUT4 pathway.

To investigate the material basis and mechanism of Liupao tea on preventing COVID-19 by network pharmacology and molecular docking.The active ingredients and targets of Liupao tea were searched through the literature and the TCMSP databases and the network between the two was built by Cytoscape 3.7.1.Then using GenCards platform to predict the disease targets,mapping the common targets between Liupao tea and disease.The common targets were imported into the STRING database for exploring the protein-protein interaction.Core targets were enriched by gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and KEGG (kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) pathway enrichment analysis using DAVID database etc..Finally,the screened active components were docked with the receptor protein SARS-CoV-2 3CL hydrolase (Mpro).Six active ingredients of Liupao tea were screened,such as (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG),(+)-catechin,(-)-catechin gallate,α-spinasterol,pelargonidin chloride and squalene,and 156 targets were identified.Among them,there were 112 common targets and 38 core targets with COVID-19.GO enrichment analysis (P<0.01) involved lipopolysaccharide,cell response to hypoxia,etc..And the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis (P<0.01)was conducted to obtain the HIF-1,IL-17,T cell receptor and other signaling pathways associated with COVID-19.The results of molecular docking showed that the active ingredients of Liupao tea were well bound to the receptor protein Mpro.The active ingredients of Liupao tea may control HIF-1,IL-17,T cell receptors signaling pathways by binding Mpro hydrolase and acting on inflammation and immune related targets such as MAPK1,TNF to prevent COVID-19.The EGCG of Mpro activity was determined ,and the IC50 was 3.4 μmol/L,which confirmed that EGCG was a certain inhibition effect on Mpro.