Abstract

Ginsenosides play an important role in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Our group predicted that ginsenoside Rb1 combined with insulin would have a protective effect in diabetic cardiomyopathy. Diabetic model was established by high fat feeding combined with intraperitoneal injection of 70 mg/ kg streptozotocin in 8 w old male Sprague-Dawley rats. One rat was sacrificed at 8 w, 12 w and 14 w, respectively. The cardiac function and pathological structure of the myocardium were observed. It was concluded that the model of the diabetic cardiomyopathy group was successful. Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and treated with different doses for 6 w. During this period, all rats received regular blood from the tail vein, had regular random blood glucose measurements and had regular fasting body weight measurements. After 6 w of intervention, cardiac ultrasonography was performed to evaluate cardiac function in all groups. Blood samples of aorta were collected for biochemical detection and pathological staining, immunohistochemical staining, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were taken from heart tissue samples for detection. Compared with the normal group, diabetic cardiomyopathy rats displayed severe hyperglycemia, lower body weight, poorer cardiac performance, cardiac fibrosis and cardiac inflammation. Diabetic cardiomyopathy rats suffered obvious effects from over-activation of the heparin-binding epidermal growth factor pathway. Ginsenoside Rb1 treatment attenuated hyperglycemia, body weight loss and cardiac injury as well as heparin-binding epidermal growth factor activation induced by diabetic cardiomyopathy. Meanwhile, ginsenoside Rb1 had no obvious toxicity or side effects in the heart, liver or kidneys. Ginsenoside Rb1 treatment in diabetic rats can inhibit the over-activated heparin-binding epidermal growth factor signaling pathway, attenuate fibrosis of myocardial tissue and improve cardiac function, and has no obvious toxicity or side effects. It is a potential drug for diabetic heart disease.