Effects of berberine on amelioration of hyperglycemia and oxidative stress in high glucose and high fat diet-induced diabetic hamsters in vivo.

Cong Liu,Zhuo Wang,Nannan Xu,Dan Wu,Yulong Song,Ping Li,Ling Li,Xuan Zheng,Jin Jin

doi:10.1155/2015/313808

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of berberine on amelioration of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and the mechanism involved in high glucose and high fat diet-induced diabetic hamsters. Golden hamsters fed with high glucose and high fat diet were medicated with metformin, simvastatin, and low or high dose of berberine (50 and 100 mg·kg−1) for 6 weeks. The results showed that the body weights were significantly lower in berberine-treated groups than control group. Histological analyses revealed that the treatment of berberine inhibited hepatic fat accumulation. Berberine significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, free fatty acid, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, malondialdehyde, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance, and 8-isoprostane level but significantly increased plasma superoxide dismutase activity. Glucose and insulin levels were significantly reduced in metformin and berberine-treated groups. Glucose tolerance tests documented that berberine-treated mice were more glucose tolerant. Berberine treatment increased expression of skeletal muscle glucose transporter 4 mRNA and significantly decreased liver low density lipoprotein receptor mRNA expression. The study suggested that berberine was effective in lowering blood glucose and lipids levels, reducing the body weight, and alleviating the oxidative stress in diabetic hamsters, which might be beneficial in reducing the cardiovascular risk factors in diabetes.

Highlights

Glucose disturbance and dislipidemia are often closely related in clinic, and the patients with diabetes are prone to display a profile of dislipidemia
We investigated whether berberine can ameliorate the oxidative stress, aiming to better understand the mechanism through which berberine improves glucose and lipid metabolism in hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic hamsters
The body weights of hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic hamsters were measured after high fat diet (HGHFD) for 8 weeks (Figure 1(a))

Summary

Introduction

Glucose disturbance and dislipidemia are often closely related in clinic, and the patients with diabetes are prone to display a profile of dislipidemia Both hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia are independent risk factors that work alone or together in accelerating atherosclerosis and diabetic complications [1]. Berberine is a medically important isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptis chinensis Franch., which is a kind of antidiarrhea drugs, displaying a broad array of pharmacological effects for more than 1400 years in traditional Chinese medical history [11]. This natural compound has been increasingly studied for its benefits against various metabolic diseases including diabetes and hyperlipidemia [12, 13]. We investigated whether berberine can ameliorate the oxidative stress, aiming to better understand the mechanism through which berberine improves glucose and lipid metabolism in hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic hamsters

Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion