[Effects of Liuweidihuang pills on pancreatic islet structure in OLETF rats].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of Liuweidihuang pills on pancreatic islet structure in OLETF (Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty) rats.


METHODS
Forty male OLETF rats were divided randomly into Liuweidihuang pills group (Liuwei group) and control group (n=20). Ten male LETO rats were used as normal control group (LETO group). The rats in Liuwei group were given Liuweidihuang pills at the daily dose of 2.4 mg/kg intragastrically since the age of 8 weeks. Blood glucose was determined by OGTT. The rats were sacrificed at 8, 32 and 40 weeks and the pancreatic tissue was isolated to examine the morphological changes of the pancreas by HE staining and Masson trichrome staining.


RESULTS
As the age of the rats increased, the pancreatic islets in the control group gradually showed fibrosis and islet atrophy, which were not found in Liuwei group. Masson staining visualized no fibrosis in Liuwei group. No significant pathological change occurred in the pancreatic islet of LETO rats. The rats in Liuwei group developed diabetes since 30 weeks of age and the incidence was 28.6% at 40 weeks, significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Liuweidihuang pills can prevent degeneration of the pancreatic islets in spontaneous OLETF rats.
Li
Jia
J
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. gdnflj@126.com
Xue
Yao-ming
YM
Qian
Yi
Y
Zhu
Bo
B
Pan
Yong-hua
YH
Zhang
Yan
Y
D000818:Animals; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D020334:Rats, Inbred OLETF
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020011:Protective Agents; C476907:liu-wei-di-huang wan