The Journal of Phytopharmacology, 2014;3(2):82-89 DOI:10.31254/phyto.2014.3202

Research Article

Effect of kidney tonifying prescriptions- Liu wei di huang Wan and Ba wei di huang Wan on insulin resistance

Julia Wanjiru Kimondo¹ , Yanjun Zhang² , Peng Zhou²

Julia Wanjiru Kimondo,Yanjun Zhang,Peng Zhou

1. Department on Pharmacology, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 88 Yuquan Lu Nankai, Tianjin 30086, P. R. China
2. Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 30086, P. R. China

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of symptoms seen in type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and obesity. Insulin resistance is a major component of MetS and is thus the key to cure and prevent any related illnesses. The treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Traditional Chinese Medicine is focused on replenishing Yin (fluid) and evacuating fire (heat) from the body and, depending on the symptoms it can also be focused on replenishing the yang. We study how the Kidney tonifying preparations (Liuwei dihuang wanLW and Bawei dihuang wan-BW) affect osteocalcin levels to treat insulin resistance. We induced insulin resistance in Rats by a large dose of Dexamethasone 1 g/kg/alternate days (DXM) and simultaneously administered the LW low dose 1 g/kg, LW high dose 4 g/kg, BW low dose 1 g/kg, BW high dose 4 g/kg and Simvastatin 20 mg/kg (positive control). After a 2hr oral glucose tolerance test, blood was drawn for serum analysis of lipids, osteocalcin, adiponectin and leptin. Our results showed that LW and BW might act through increasing insulin sensitizing hormones- osteocalcin and adiponectin, and reducing hormones increased in obesity like leptin. The increase in insulin sensitizing hormones might be able to reduce the measures of insulin sensitivity. LW and BW might be unable to control lipid dysregulation in DXM induced insulin resistance.