Puerarin reduces blood sugar in the diabetic mice and improves hyperlipidemia in rats

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to observe effects of puerarin (C21H20O9), a component of traditional Chinese drug Gegen (Pueraria root), on hyperlipidemia, blood sugar and sugar tolerance. Methods: 50 male rats were divided into control, hyperlipidemia, hyperlipidemia and Xuezhikang capsule, hyperlipidemia and low dose puerarin, hyperlipidemia and high dose puerarin groups. The hyperlipidemia was induced by high fat diet for 30 days. The levels of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and HDL/TC were measured. 50 mice were divided into control, diabetes, diabetes and glybenzcyclamide, diabetes and low dose puerarin, diabetes and high dose puerarin groups. The diabetes mice were induced by i.p. alloxan (200mg/kg) for 5 days. Fasting serum sugar, sugar tolerance and insulin receptor gene were measured. The results indicate that puerarin reduced (n=10, P<0.01) levels of serum TG, TC and LDL in rats. Puerarin also increased the level of HDL in rats. It also decreased (n=10, P<0.01) fasting serum sugar in mice and increased (n=10, P<0.01) the sugar tolerance in the diabetic mice. Puerarin increased (n=10, P<0.05) the expression of insulin receptor gene in the diabetic mice. Conclusion: The results suggest that puerarin reduces insulin resistance, and puerarin increasing the expression of insulin receptor gene contributes to its effect of insulin resistance.