Abstract:Objective To study the effects of berberine on inflammatory factor levels and glucose and lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats based on phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. Methods Forty SPF grade SD male rats were selected, of which 10 rats were randomly selected as normal group, and the other 30 rats were constructed as T2DM model rats ［divided into model group (10 rats), metformin positive control group (10 rats) and berberine group (10 rats) randomly］. The levels of inflammatory factors ［tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)、 C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1β (IL-1β)］, lipid metabolism indexes ［low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), free fatty acid (FFA)］, and glucose metabolism indexes [fasting insulin (FINS), fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR)]. The expressions of PI3K, Akt and p-PI3Kp85 proteins in pancreatic tissue were detected. Results The levels of serum glucose metabolism indexes (FBG, FINS, HOMA-IR), lipid metabolism indexes (TC, TG, LDL-C, FFA) and inflammatory factors (TNF-α, CRP, IL-1β) in the three T2DM model groups were higher than those in the normal group (P<0.05). Among the three T2DM model groups, except for HDL-C levels that gradually increased, all other indicator levels decreased gradually in the order of model group, metformin positive control group and berberine group (P<0.05). The relative expression levels of PI3K, Akt and p-PI3Kp85 proteins in pancreatic tissues of the three T2DM model groups were lower than those of the normal group (P<0.05), while the relative expression levels of the three proteins increased sequentially in order of model group, metformin-positive control group and berberine group (P<0.05). Conclusion Berberine can improve the disorder of lipid metabolism in T2DM rats and inhibit the inflammatory reaction in vivo. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of PI3K/Akt pathway.