AIM: To observe the effects of puerarin on
blood pressure(BP),serum lipid in a rat model of
insulin resistance and the mechanism.METHODS:
Adult SD rats were maintained on high-fat-sugar-salt diet for 12 weeks.Puerarin was administered to the rats from 9th week for 4 weeks by intramuscular injection.BP was measured at the end of 0,8th,12th week.The levels of serum glucose,serum lipid,fasting serum insulin and the levels of MDA,TNF-α,plasma rennin,angiotensinⅡ(AngⅡ) and the activity of SOD were measured and the insulin-sensitivity index was also calculated at the end of the experiment.RESULTS: High and middle dosage of puerarin significantly decreased
blood pressure,reduced the levels of serum lipid and AngⅡ,and also increased insulin-sensitivity index.The levels of MDA and TNF-α were significantly decreased by high dosage of puerarin.The activity of SOD was increased significantly.CONCLUSIONS: Puerarin possesses the effects of decreasing the blood pressure and serum lipid in a rat model of
insulin resistance,which may be concerned with the changes of rennin-angiotensin system,the levels of oxygen-derived free radicals and TNF-α.