ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the effects of Astragalus polysaccharides (AP) and berberine (BB) on the adipocyte's carbohydrate metabolism and cell differentiation, for assessing the possible mechanism of them in improving carbohydrate metabolism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adipocytes were treated with AP or BE, the 3H-glucose up-take rate in them was investigated, those of differentiation phase were stained by oil red O to analyze the degree of cell differentiation by spectrophotography quantitatively. The adipocyte differentiation related expression of PPARgamma mRNA and C/EBPalpha mRNA were determined by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 3H-glucose up-take rate in the AP group and BE group were 109.3% and 182.7% of that in the blank control group respectively. AP obviously promoted the cell differentiation and up-regulated expression of PPARgamma mRNA, while BE suppressed the differentiation and expression of PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha mRNA distinctly, all showing significant difference as compared with that in the blank control (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>AP could promote glucose up-take, cell differentiation and PPARgamma mRNA expression, BB also promote glucose up-take, but suppress the cell differentiation, and inhibit expressions of PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha mRNA in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.</p>