Possessing putative hypolipidemic effects, Teucrium polium (TP) have been traditionally used as a medicinal plant in Iran. The aim of the present study was to investigate this effect on the
sucrose-induced
insulin resistance male rat model. Thirty Wistar male rats weighting 180 ± 20 g were divided into five groups of six each. Four groups were given
sucrose 50% in
drinking water for 10 weeks. In 8(th) week of treatment, three groups of them were randomly selected and treated with Teucrium polium (T. polium)
ethyl acetate extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/Kg for two weeks). Control animals were fed using normal rat chow. After ten weeks, blood samples were collected from the heart.
Blood Glucose,
insulin,
leptin,
lipid content and fasting
insulin resistance index (FIRI) as well as liver and muscle
glycogen and
lipid contents were determined. Final data were analyzed by ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's test.
Liver glycogen contents and blood levels of
glucose and
insulin were significantly increased in high
sucrose (HS) group compared with control group. A significant decrease was observed in
blood glucose and
insulin levels, FIRI, serum total
lipid,
triglyceride and VLDL-c as well as the liver
triglyceride level, muscle and
liver glycogen contents in 100 and 200 mg/Kg of TP-treated groups compared with HS group.
Leptin level was significantly decreased in 50 and 100 mg/Kg groups compared with HS group. The treatment with T. polium
ethyl acetate extract (TP-EAE) induced a dose-dependent reduction in serum, liver and muscle
triglyceride (TG) and
liver glycogen content levels, as well as serum
insulin. These effects may be attributed, in part, to the hypolipidemic effect of TP
flavonoids; otherwise, the hepatoprotective and
antioxidant activity of TP-EAE may improve the liver function and reverse harmful
sucrose effects.