Objective: To elucidate the effect and mechanism of flavonoids from Mori Folium (FM) on improving blood glucose in diabetic rats. Method: After successful modeling by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ)

twenty-four 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into model group

Pioglitazone group

FM group with 8 rats in each group according to their levels of blood glucose and body weight

and another 8 normal SD rats with the same age were also used as a normal group. After treatment for 6 weeks

their fasting blood glucose (FBG)

cholesterd (CHO)

total triglyceride (TG)

free fatty acids (FFA)

aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

fasting insulin (Fins)

and homa insulin-resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot were used to quantify the mRNA and protein expressions of certain targets in the liver. Result: As compared with the normal group

the body weight

FBG

Fins

HOMA-IR

CHO

TG

FFA were significantly increased in model group (P <0.05

P<0.01); the mRNA and protein expressions of protein kinase C (PKC) were increased significantly in model group (P<0.05

P<0.01)

but the mRNA expressions of adenylate kinase2 (AK2)

and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) were decreased significantly (P<0.05

P<0.01). As compared with the model group

body weight

FBG

Fins

HOMA-IR

CHO

TG

and FFA were significantly decreased in FM group (P <0.05

P<0.01); the mRNA and protein expressions of PKC in liver tissues were decreased significantly (P<0.05

P<0.01)

but the mRNA expressions of AK2

and PGC-1α were increased significantly in FM group (P<0.05

P<0.01). Conclusion: It was demonstrated that FM may play an anti-diabetic effect by inhibiting the PKC pathway induced by FFA and improving the energy homeostasis based on the expression of AK2 and PGC-1α.