OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Bushen Tongmai recipe on the phospharylation expression of insulin receptor substrate-1 Ser307 (IRS-1 Ser307) in insulin target tissues of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) rats accompanying with insulin resistance (IR).

METHODRats of model of PCOS accompanying with IR were randomly divided into the model group and the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) group. Meanwhile, a group of 13 rats of the same age was considered as the normal control group. The TCM group was administered with BSTMR. Half of each group was given insulin injection through portal vein in late estrus. Another half didnt receive insulin injection. The phospharylation levels of IRS-1 Ser307 in liver and fatty tissues were measured by Western blot. The phospharylation level of IRS-1 Ser307 in ovary tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTThe phospharylation expressions of IRS-1 Ser307 in liver, fat and ovary in the model group were higher than those in the normal group (P<0.05, P<0.01); those criteria in the TCM group were lower than those in the model group (P<0.05). After insulin stimulation, the phospharylation expressions of IRS-1 Ser307 were higher than those before insulin stimulation (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONBushen Tongmai recipe could attenuate the phospharylation expression of IRS-1 Ser307 and then enhance insulin signal transduction, which may be one of the mechanisms of Bushen Tongmai recipe in improving PCOS accompanying with IR.