Abstract / Summary
Background Type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains a prominent chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia worldwide. Insulin resistance is the primary risk factor contributing to T2D development. Cornus mas L. is a natural product shown to play a regulatory role in metabolic disorders. Purpose This study aimed to explore the effects of Cornus mas L. on hepatic insulin resistance in high-fat diet-induced diabetic mice. Materials and Methods In this study, C57BL/6J mice were first fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks to establish an obesity model. Subsequently, the mice were orally administered an aqueous extract of C. mas L. at two dosages (500 and 1,000 mg/kg body weight/day) for 8 weeks to evaluate its therapeutic effects. Results The results demonstrated that C. mas L. supplementation reduced serum and hepatic glucose and lipid levels and improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Moreover, C. mas L. supplementation promoted fatty acid oxidation genes (CPT1α and LCAD) and inhibited the expression of the glycogen synthesis gene GSK3β, as well as the expression of genes related to lipid synthesis and gluconeogenesis (ACC1, FAS, G6Pase, PEPCK, and FoxO1) at the mRNA level in the liver. Conclusion Therefore, our findings indicated that C. mas L. ameliorates hepatic insulin resistance in HFD-induced T2D mice by regulating the transcriptional level of glucolipid metabolism-related genes, suggesting that the protective effects of C. mas L. could serve as a novel strategy for the treatment of T2D.