Exploring the mechanism of Buyang Huanwu decoction in improving lipid metabolism in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with hyperlipidemia based on PPARα/CPT-1 pathway
WANG Qing-xiao,LIU Ai-jun,ZHANG Mei-jun
Abstract:
Objective To explore the mechanism of Buyang Huanwu decoction in improving lipid metabolism disorder in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated with hyperlipidemia based on the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα)/carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) signaling pathway. Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, simvastatin group and Buyang Huanwu decoction group, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, the other groups were established with a rat model of T2DM complicated with hyperlipidemia by a high-fat and high-sugar diet + streptozotocin (STZ) method. The blank group and model group were given normal saline by gavage, the simvastatin group was given simvastatin at 2.1 mg·kg-1·d-1 by gavage, and the Buyang Huanwu decoction group was given Buyang Huanwu decoction at 6.39 g·kg-1·d-1 by gavage. The rats were sacrificed after 8 weeks of treatment, the blood glucose levels of the rats were monitored during this period. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of liver tissue, and biochemical methods were used to detect the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum. The levels of serum retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expressions of PPARα and CPT-1 mRNA and protein in liver tissue were detected by polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Results Compared with the blank group, the model group had elevated fasting blood glucose, fatty degeneration of liver cells and lymphocyte infiltration, abnormal lipid metabolism indicators in serum, elevated serum RBP4 levels, and decreased expressions of PPARα and CPT-1 mRNA and protein in liver tissue, with statistically significant differences (P <0.05). Compared with the model group, the Buyang Huanwu decoction group had decreased fasting blood glucose at the 8th week, significantly reduced fatty degeneration of liver cells, no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration, significantly improved lipid metabolism indicators in serum, increased expressions of PPARα and CPT-1 mRNA and protein in liver tissue, and decreased serum RBP4 content, with statistically significant differences (P <0.05). Conclusion Buyang Huanwu decoction may play a therapeutic role in T2DM combined with hyperlipidemia by activating the lipid metabolism signaling pathway PPARα/CPT-1, thereby increasing enzyme activity, accelerating the transport and oxidation of fatty acids, and reducing lipid deposition.
