Abstract: In this study, an SD rat model of metabolic syndrome was established by feeding a high-fat and high-sugar diet (HSHF), aiming to explore the effects of grape seed proanthocyanin extract (GSPE) on body mass, blood glucose, insulin sensitivity, serum lipids and inflammation in rats with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The results showed that the HSHF diet-fed rats developed abdominal obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, atherosclerotic dyslipidemia, liver fat deposition and other phenotypes after 24 weeks compared with the control group; and after GSPE (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg mb) intervention in rats for 8 weeks, fasting blood glucose, serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly reduced, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly elevated. In addition, hematoxylin-eosin staining analysis showed that GSPE reduced adipose cell size and liver fat deposition. Therefore, GSPE can reduce the body mass of MetS rats, improve blood sugar and lipid metabolism disorders, and reduce serum inflammatory cytokine levels and are expected to be a potential bioactive product for regulating metabolic syndrome.

Key words: proanthocyanins, obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypolipidemic effect