Diabetes is seriously hazards to human health and its pathogeneses are not clear. Recent studies show that the imbalance of intestinal flora and the development of diabetes are closely related. Appropriate bacteria can improve blood sugar disorder. Treating diabetes from the theory of Pi-Wei is effective. Regulating intestinal flora has become a new pathway for treating diabetes from the theory of Pi-Wei. On the basis of intestinal flora, authors discussed the treatment of diabetes from Pi and Wei.
Bacteria ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; microbiology ; therapy ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Humans

Objective To investigate the effect of berberine on insulin resistance induced by free fatty acid in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and the possible molecular mechanism.Methods 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with 0.5 mmol/L palmitic acid to induce insulin resistance.Berberine was used for treatment and aspirin for positive control.Glucose oxidase method was employed for measuring the glucose consumption in the medium and 2-deoxy- [~3H]-D-glucose method was used for the determination of glucose uptake.Western blot was used for the determination of IKB kinase(IKK)?SerlS1 phosphorylation,insulin receptor substrance-1(IRS-1)Ser307 phosphorylation,the protein expression of IKK?,IRS-1,phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI-3K)p85 and glucose transporter 4(Glut4).Results After the treatment with 0. 5 mmol/L of palmitic acid for 24 h,glucose consumption by 3T3-L1 adipocytes was decreased by 41%,insulin-stimulated glucose transport was inhibited by 67%,IRS-1 and PI-3K p85 proteins were reduced, and phosphorylations of IKK?Ser181 and IRS-1 Ser307 were induced.The above results were reversed by adding berberine or aspirin.But Glut4 and IKK?protein abundance was not changed during this study.Conclusion Berberine significantly improves insulin resistance induced by free fatty acid in 3T3-L1 adipocytes via inhibiting IKK?serine phosphorylation.

Anti-Infective Agents ; pharmacology ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Research Design

Adult ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Yang Deficiency ; diagnosis ; Yin Deficiency ; diagnosis

In this study, the rat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) model was established through tail vein injection with low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) and high fat diet for 8 weeks, and then treated with Jiaotai Pill. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), fasting serum insulin (FINS), free fatty acid(FFA) levels and blood lipid were assayed. HOMA-IR was calculated. Pancreatic pathology was performed. And pancreatic triglyceride (TG) content was examined by the lipid extraction method. Pancreatic islet cell apoptosis were detected by terminal dexynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). According to the results, the model group showed abnormal OGTT, increased FINS, HOMA-IR, FFA, lipid disorder, obvious fat accumulation and significantly increased TG content in pancreatic tissues, and enhanced pancreatic islet cell apoptosis. Compared with the model group, the Jiaotai Pill group displayed improved OGTT, reduced FINS, HOMA-IR, FFA, recovered lipid disorder, decreased fat accumulation and significantly declined TG content in pancreatic tissues, and lowered pancreatic islet cell apoptosis. In summary, Jiaotai pill could effectively treat type 2 diabetes in rats. Its mechanism may be related to the reduction in pancreatic fat accumulation and islet cell apoptosis.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Fats ; metabolism ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Humans ; Islets of Langerhans ; cytology ; drug effects ; Male ; Pancreas ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

The identification of the etiology and pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus in TCM viewpoint is directly related with the syndrome differentiation and therapeutic methods. According to the traditional view, the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus was considered as founding on yin deficiency, with dry heat in the superficiality, therefore the basic therapeutic methods should be supplementing qi and nourishing yin. However, its efficacy in clinical practice was unsatisfactory. In order to establish the efficient therapeutic approaches, the author strongly recommended that physician should get the insight into the pathogenesis and syndromes of the illness and handle the yin-yang equilibrium, pay attention to not only the qi and yin deficiency, but also the yang deficiency, and further, the inner barbaric glucose-toxicity, which not only existed at the late stage, but also showed some cues in the initiative stage. Therefore, the author emphasized that in treating diabetes mellitus, besides the basic treatment for supplementing qi and nourishing yin, one should pay great attention to removing toxin and intensifying yang to achieve yin-yang equilibrium.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Qi ; Yin-Yang

OBJECTIVETo establish a rat model of polycystic ovarian syndrome accompanied with insulin resistance (PCOS-IR), and to observe the effects of Bushen Tongmai Recipe (BSTMR) on insulin resistance and ovulation dysfunction in the model.

METHODSSodium prasterone sulfate at the daily dose of 9 mg/100 g was subcutaneously injected to female SD rats, 23-day old, for 20 days, and fed with high-fat forage for 80 days to establish the rat model of PCOS-IR. The model rats were randomized into the model group and the treated group administered with BSTMR. Besides, a group consisted of 15 healthy rats was set up as a normal control. Ovarian histological changes and ovulation condition in rats were examined with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining; fasting blood glucose (FBG) was determined by glucose oxidase method; serum levels of fasting insulin (FINS), serum testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteotrophic hormone (LH) were detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA).

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, in the model group, the mean number of corpus luteum, ovulation rate, FSH level and insulin sensitive index (ISI) were lower significantly (P <0.01), and levels of FBG, FINS, T, E2 and LH were higher (P<0.05, P <0.01). Compared with the model group, in the treated group, the mean number of corpus luteum, ovulation rate, levels of FSH and ISI were higher, and levels of FINS, T and E, were lower (all P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONRat model of PCOS-IR could be established by sodium prasterone sulfate and high-fat forage, and the insulin resistance and ovulation dysfunction in the model rats could be improved by BSTMR.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Ovulation ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effect of emodin on nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) induced by high fat diet in rats.

METHODSNAFL model was established by feeding with high fat diet for 12 weeks in 40 SD rats, confirmed by liver pathologic examination, which were randomly divided into 5 groups: the model control group the mere dietary treatment group (both with distilled water by gastrgarege), the low, moderate and high dose emodin groups treated with emodin 20,40 and 80 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) once per day respectively. Meanwhile a normal control group was used. The model control group was still fed with high fat diet while the other groups with normal diet. After 4 weeks, body weight, liver index (liver weight/body weight), hepatic function, blood lipid, hepatic lipid and histologic changes were assayed.

RESULTSIn the model control group,body weight, liver index, hepatic enzyme activities, serum lipid and hepatic triglyceride increased significantly (P <0. 05, or P <0. 01), serum high density lipoprotein-cholesterol( HDL-C)decreased (P <0.01 ), and moderate to severe hepatocyte steatosis was observed, while these indexes were all improved significantly in the 3 emodin groups; hepatic histologic changes were improved in the mere dietary treatment group, however, high level of ALT and hyperlipidemia persisted.

CONCLUSIONEmodin combined with dietary therapy is effective for NAFL rats induced by high fat diet.

Animals ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Dietary Fats ; toxicity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Emodin ; therapeutic use ; Fatty Liver ; diet therapy ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo determine whether homeostatic conditions (pH, glycine or ion concentration) affect the protective effects of edaravone on ischemic injury in rat cortical neurons.

METHODSIn cultured rat cortical neurons, the compositions in the experimental solutions were changed to mimic the disturbance of homeostasis after cerebral ischemia. In vitro ischemic injury was induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) for 3 h and reperfusion for 12 h, and the neuron injury was evaluated by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Effect of edaravone on OGD injury was observed in different experimental solutions.

RESULTIn weak alkalified solution (pH 7.8) or the solution containing glycine (10 micromol/L), OGD injury became more serious; but in weak acidic (pH 6.5) or higher Mg(2+) (1.8 mmol/L) solutions, OGD injury was attenuated. Edaravone (1 micromol/L) reversed the injury in the solutions with pH 6.1,7.4 and 7.8 or the solution containing glycine, but did not show protective effect in the solution with pH 6.5 and the higher Mg(2+) or lower Ca(2+) solution.

CONCLUSIONThe changes of homeostatic conditions affect the severity of ischemic injury of neurons and the protective effect of edaravone.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Antipyrine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Cortex ; cytology ; Glycine ; pharmacology ; Homeostasis ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Magnesium ; pharmacology ; Neurons ; pathology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control

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.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mitochondria, Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar