Hypoglycemic Effect of α-Linolenic Acid on High-Fat Diet and Streptozotocin-Induced Type Ⅱ Diabetes Model Mice

Objective: To investigate the hypoglycemia effect of α-linolenic acid (ALA) on type Ⅱ diabetic mice. Methods: A high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin was used to establish a type Ⅱ diabetic mice model. The mice were randomly divided into a normal control group, a diabetic model group, and a low-, medium-, and high-dose ALA group. After 42 consecutive days of ALA intervention, the organ index, glucose and lipid metabolism related indexes and endotoxin levels in blood were determined, and the relative mRNA expression genes related to glucose transport, gluconeogenesis, inflammation and lipid metabolism in liver tissue were also detected. Results: Low-, medium- and high- doses [0.25, 0.50, 1.00 g/(kg•d)] of ALA can improve the organ index, blood glucose level, glucose tolerance and insulin resistance index of diabetic mice to varying degrees, with better effects in the medium- or high- doses of ALA group. The medium- and high- doses of ALA significantly reduced serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and endotoxin levels of diabetic mice; the high- dose of ALA significantly reduced the relative mRNA expression levels of liver monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6pc), and significantly increased the relative mRNA expression level of hepatic peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor α(Pparα); the medium-dose of ALA had a certain regulating effect on the relative mRNA expression levels of MCP-1, TNF-α, G6pc and Pparα. Conclusion: Both medium- and high- doses of ALA could effectively improve metabolic endotoxemia, liver tissue inflammation, and glucose and lipid metabolism in type Ⅱ diabetic mice. © 2021, Editorial Office of Journal of CIFST. All right reserved.