title: Administration of a decoction of sucrose- and polysaccharide-rich radix astragali (huang qi) ameliorated insulin resistance and Fatty liver but affected Beta-cell function in type 2 diabetic rats.
abstract: The current investigation attempted to confirm the beneficial actions of a chemically characterized Radix Astragali decoction (AM-W) against type 2 diabetic (T2D) Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Using a case/control design, after 2 months of treatment with AM-W (500 mg/kg, daily i.p.) in T2D rats therapeutic outcomes were compared. Sucrose and Astragalus polysaccharides (ASPs) were shown to exist in nearly equal proportions in AM-W. Body weight loss, an improvement in insulin sensitivity, and an attenuation of fatty liver after AM-W administration in T2D rats were evident. Surprisingly, blood sugar, beta-cell function, and glucose tolerance in T2D rats did not improve with AM-W treatment. Further investigation indicated the deleterious effects of the addition of sucrose (100 and 500 μg/mL) and APSs (500 μg/mL) on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and viability, respectively. In conclusion, a proper administration dosage and a reduction in the sucrose content are keys to maximizing the merits of this herb.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Yang Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.forename: Yao-Haur
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Chia-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Li-Jie
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan-Yu
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chia-Yun
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Hui-Kang
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Liu