Abstract: Plantain is a new banana cultivar grown in China, which is rich in resistant starch and dietary fiber. By the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) method for the evaluation of assisting blood sugar reduction function, the anti-hyperglycemic activity of plantain was tested. Twenty-four normal rats were arbitrarily allocated into a control group (NC) and a high-dose plantain group (NH), and 48 rats with experimental diabetes mellitus (DM) were randomized into four groups: model control, low- (LP), medium- (MP) and high- (HP)-dose plantain. The effect of plantain on glucolipid metabolism was evaluated by testing blood biochemical indices and hormone levels. Results showed that plantain had no adverse effect on normal rats and alleviates the increase of body mass in normal rats to a certain extent and that plantain intervention alleviated the typical symptoms of diabetes, polydipsia, polyphagia, polyuria and emaciation, decreased blood sugar, and improved glucose tolerance. Compared with the model control group, blood sugar levels were significantly reduced by 10.70%, 10.19% and 13.94% in the low-, middle- and high-dose plantain groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Besides, disorders of glucolipid metabolism were ameliorated. The serum concentrations of triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and free fatty acid were decreased and so were serum insulin, C-peptide, amylin and glucagon-like peptide-1. Compared with the model control group, insulin levels were decreased by 28.54%, 39.50% and 49.14% in the low-, middle- and high-dose groups, respectively. Therefore, plantain has anti-hyperglycemic activity. It may impact glucolipid metabolism through regulating hormone secretion.

Key words: plantain; anti-hyperglycemic; glucolipid metabolism; hormone