ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effect of Shenqi Fufang (参芪复方,SF) on skeletal muscle damage of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its possible mechanism.Methods Eighteen rats with spontaneous type 2 diabetes mellitus (GK) were randomized into the model group,SF group and sitagliptin group with six rats in each group,and six more Wistar rats were selected as the control group.Each group was given high fat diet for 8 weeks to build T2DM model except for the control group.At the same time,the control group and the model group were given normal saline 5 ml/(kg-d) by gastric perfusion,the SF group was given SF extract 1.44g/(kg · d) by gastric perfusion,and sitagliptin group was given sitagliptin phosphate suspension 16ml/(kg · d) by gastric perfusion.Eight weeks later,the levels of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1),tumor necrosis factor-αr (TNF-a) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)were measured in each group,the gastrocnemius muscle was taken out to get the wet weight and observe the pathological changes,and the expression of p70s6k1 protein was detected.Results Compared with the control group,the wet weight of the gastrocnemius muscle,the serum IGF-1 level and p70s6k1 protein expression in the model group significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05),while the levels of serum TNF-α and IL-1β significantly increased (P ＜ 0.05).Through pathological observation,there existed gastrocnemius muscle cells atrophy,a larger area of edema and interstitial lymphocyte infiltration.Compared with the model group,the wet weight of the gastrocnemius muscle,IGF-1 content and p70s6k protein expression in the sitagliptin group and the SF group significantly increased,the contents of TNF-α and IL-l β significantly decreased (P ＜0.05),and there were no obvious muscle cell atrophy and edema,and also little inflammatory cell infiltration.There was no significant difference between the sitagliptin group and SF group (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion SF could reduce the diabetic skeletal muscle injury;the potential mechanism seems to reduce the inflammatory factor content,improve IGF-1 resistance and maintain the skeletal muscle mass.