Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Gancao Xiexin Decoction exerts anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects in type 2 diabetes mellitus rats via IRS2/PI3K/Akt pathway

Bo Yang¹, Junxian Chen², Yiqun Li³, Lingling Liu³, Yunchang Zhong³, Hongtao Tan³

¹Department of Geriatrics, The Second Peopleâ€™s Hospital of Shantou, Shantou, China; ²Liwan District Peopleâ€™s Hospital of Guangzhou, Guangzhou 510405, China; ³Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou Central Peopleâ€™s Hospital, Huizhou, Guangdong, China.

For correspondence:- Hongtao Tan Email: hongtao_tan@sina.cn Tel:+8613168616643

Accepted: 26 May 2023 Published: 30 June 2023

Citation: Yang B, Chen J, Li Y, Liu L, Zhong Y, Tan H. Gancao Xiexin Decoction exerts anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects in type 2 diabetes mellitus rats via IRS2/PI3K/Akt pathway. Trop J Pharm Res 2023; 22(6):1219-1229 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v22i6.11

© 2023 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the anti-diabetic effect of the classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation, Gancao Xiexin Decoction (GCXXT), as well as unravel its mechanism of action.

Methods: A rat model with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was induced through ingestion of a high-fat diet, followed by injection of streptozocin. The rats were divided into six groups: control, model, metformin, GCXXT-L (4 g/kg), GCXXT-M (8 g/kg) and GCXXT-H (12 g/kg) groups, each with six rats. The metabolic parameters related to T2DM, expression and phosphorylation levels of IRS2, PI3K, and Akt protein were determined by western blot.

Results: GCXXT, especially at the high dose (12 g/kg), not only significantly reduced the levels of fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and advanced glycation end products, but also increased the fasting insulin level, HOMA-β index, β-cell mass, and oral glucose tolerance levels in T2DM rats (p < 0.05). Furthermore, GCXXT exhibited anti-hyperlipidemic effect by elevating high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and lowering total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (p < 0.05). Phosphorylated IRS2, PI3K, Akt protein in the pancreas, liver, and adipose tissues of T2DM rats were significantly increased by GCXXT (p < 0.05), whereas total IRS2, PI3K, and Akt protein levels did not change significantly.

Conclusion: GCXXT exerts anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects, in part, by regulating the IRS2/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in the pancreas, liver, and adipose tissues of T2DM rats. Thus, GCXXT is a potential agent for the management of T2DM but clinical studies are required to ascertain this.

Keywords: Gancao Xiexin Decoction, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Anti-diabetes, IRS2, PI3K/Akt signaling pathway