Abstract:

 Purpose: To study the effect of ginseng glycopeptide (GGP) combined with aerobic exercise on glucose and lipid
metabolism disorders in Goto-Kakisaki rats (GK rats). Methods: Totally 40 GK rats were randomly divided into four groups by
blood glucose levels as model control group (group C), 80 mg/(kg·d) GGP group (group G), aerobic exercise group (group E),
and 80 mg/(kg·d) GGP plus aerobic exercise group (group GE). GK rats in exercise group underwent 60 min swimming
without weight loading every day 5 days per week for 8 weeks. GGP preparation was subcutaneously injected to GK rats
in GGP group at the dose of 80 mg/(kg·d). The model control rats were treated with saline via subcutaneous injection for
8 weeks. Body weight, food and water intake, urine output, and serum glucose concentration were measured every week.
After the last training followed by 12 h fasting, glucose (GLU), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), free fatty acid
(FFA), nitric oxide (NO), serum insulin (INS), C-peptide (C-P), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were also determined.
Results: Among all groups, the body weight and food intake of GK rats did not exhibit significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).
Compared with group C, group E showed lower but not significantly different water intake and urine output (P ＞ 0.05),
but a significant reduction in both parameters was observed for groups G and GE (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01). The GK rats
from group E showed a significant reduction in serum TC level (P ＜ 0.05), while showing no significant difference in all
other indicators (P ＞ 0.05). The levels of GLU, TNF-α and FFA in group G were significantly lower than those in group C
(P ＜ 0.05), and the levels of INS C-P and NO were significantly higher than those in group C (P ＜ 0.05), while there was
no significant difference in serum TC or TG levels (P ＞ 0.05). Group GE significantly reduced the levels of GLU, TC, TG,
TNF-α and FFA (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01), and significantly increased the levels of INS, C-P and NO (P ＜ 0.05). Compared
with group G, the water intake and urine output in group GE were significantly reduced after the first week (P ＜ 0.05), and
tended to be lower but not significantly different at other time points (P ＞ 0.05). The water intake and urine output in group
E were higher than but not significantly different from those in group G (P ＞ 0.05). The levels of GLU and TC in group GE
significantly reduced when compared with those in group C (P ＜ 0.05); however, the levels of NO, INS and C-P in group
GE were increased and the levels of TG, TNF-α and FFA were reduced but without significantly different (P ＞ 0.05). Group
E indicated a significant decrease in TC and C-P levels in comparison to group C (P ＜ 0.05), and presented lower NO and
INS levels and higher GLU, TG, TNF-α, and FFA levels but without showing significant difference (P ＞ 0.05). Group GE
exhibited a significant reduction in urine output and GLU level (P ＜0.05 or P ＜ 0.01), a significant increase in C-P level
(P ＜ 0.05), but no significant differences in all other parameters (P ＞ 0.05) compared with group E. Conclusion: GGP
combined with can significantly decrease the levels of blood glucose and blood lipid in GK rats, improve the metabolism
disorders of glucose and lipid, and ameliorate insulin resistance.

Key words: ginseng glycopeptide, goto-kakisaki rat, metabolism disorders of glucose and lipid, insulin resistance