Abstract: Objective: To investigate the antidiabetic effect of Lactobacillus plantarum C88 in a type 2 diabetic rat model. Methods: Type 2 diabetes was induced in rats by feeding high-fat diet followed by single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The diabetic rats were intragastrically administrated with L. plantarum C88 for 28 consecutive days, and then the fasting blood-glucose, glucose tolerance, blood lipids, insulin, inflammatory factors, intestinal barrier function and intestinal flora were measured. Western blot was used to analyze the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin and claudin-1. Results: L. plantarum C88 could effectively improve hyperglycemia and lipid metabolism disorder in type 2 diabetic rats and significantly decrease the levels of TNF-α, interleukine-6, C-reactive protein, lipopolysaccharide, D-lactic acid and other inflammatory factors in the serum. L. plantarum C88 could promote the secretion of insulin, increase glucagon-like peptide-2 level and decrease diamine oxidase and zonulin. In addition, this strain significantly down-regulated the expression of inflammation-associated protein (NF-κB and TNF-α) in the liver and up-regulated the expression of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-1, associated with intestinal permeability in the ileum. Conclusion: L. plantarum C88 is a probiotic with hypoglycemic activity.

Key words: Lactobacillus plantarum, diabetes, hypoglycemic, intestinal flora, inflammation