title: [Meilian Xiaoke capsule combined with metformin for protecting islet cells and lowering blood glucose in diabetic rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of Meilian Xiaoke capsule (a traditional Chinese medicinal preparation) combined with metformin for protecting islet cells and lowering blood glucose in diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat models with type 2 diabetes, established by high-fat and high-glucose diet combined with streptozotocin (STZ) injection, were treated with a low dose of metformin, Meilian Xiaoke capsule, or both for 4 weeks by gavage. Blood glucose level was tested in the rats, and islet pathologies and changes in islet β cell number after the treatment were observed with HE staining and aldehyde fuchsin staining, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with metformin or Meilian Xiaoke capsule alone for 2 or 4 weeks did not produce significant improvement of blood glucose in the diabetic rats. Their combined treatment for 4 weeks resulted in significantly lowered blood glucose level and improved glucose tolerance with also obviously increased islet β cell number and lessened islet pathologies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meilian Xiaoke capsule and metformin show a synergistic effect to significantly enhance the therapeutic effect in rats with type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. E-mail: 105320842@qq.com.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Shiqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000473:pathology; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D013311:Streptozocin; D008687:Metformin