Effects of APS on the Activity of AMPK of STZ‐induced T2DM Rats

To investigate the effects of Astragalus polysaccharide(APS) on the activity of AMPK of STZ‐induced T2DM rats. The T2DM model is duplicated by the high‐fat diet and small dose streptozotocin(STZ, 25 mg/kg,ip). After APS therapy (400 mg/kg/d,ig) for 6 weeks, blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin, triglyeride and serum insulin were observed. The insulin sensitivity were evaluated by the comprehensive analysis of OGTT. The activity of AMPK, the activity of ACC, and the expression of total AMPK were measured by Western blotting in skeleton muscle(by using Thr172‐pAMPK antibody, Ser79‐pACC antibody and total AMPK antibody). In this research, fat‐fed STZ‐induced diabetic rats were characterized with hyperglycemia and impaired oral glucose tolerance. After treatment with APS, there was a significant decrease in blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin and improved insulin sensitivityin diabetic rats, however, there was no change in blood insulin levels in all rats. The diabetic rats presented that there were obvious degrades in phosphorylation of AMPK and phosphorylation of ACC. After APS therapy, the activity of AMPK and ACC were restored partly. However, total expression of AMPK had no change during diabetes or treatment. The results showed that APS can decrease the content of blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin. In this model, the hypoglycemic activity of APS is at least in part by increasing the activity of AMPK and enables insulin‐sensitizing activity. This subject has a financial assistance by NSFC (30370673).