OBJECTIVE

To study the effects and its mechanisms of total flavonoids of Litsea coreana (TFLC) on insulin resistance (IR) in rats with hyperlipidemia.

METHODS

The rats were fed with high fat emulsion to make IR models. The effects of TFLC on the state of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), fasting serum glucose (FSG), fasting serum insulin (FINS), fasting serum lipids (TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C), free fatty acid (FFA) and Leptin were observed,and the index of insulin sensitivity (ISI) was calculated.

RESULTS

TFLC could significantly improve the state of IGT and depress the level of FSG, FINS, TC, TG, LDL-C, FFA and leptin of model rats, which could also increase the content of HDL-C and ISI significantly and enhance the sensitivity of insulin.

CONCLUSION

TFLC has obvious effects on increasing insulin sensitivity and improving the insulin resistance in rats with hyperlipidemia,which may contribute to the regulating effects on the disturbance of lipid metabolism and the decrease of leptin level.