Objectives: Obesity is an important cause of insulin resistance that leads to obese type 2 diabetes. Recently it has been found that obesity is associated with adipose tissue accumulation which causes systemic inflammation. In this study, we investiga...
Objectives: Obesity is an important cause of insulin resistance that leads to obese type 2 diabetes. Recently it has been found that obesity is associated with adipose tissue accumulation which causes systemic inflammation. In this study, we investigated effects of Inula helenium on the inflammation in high fat diet-induced insulin resistance mouse. Methods: Insulin resistance was induced in C57BL/6 male mice (19~21 g) on a 60% fat diet. Mice were divided into 3 groups (n=6) of normal, control and Inula helenium. After 12 weeks, body weight, FBS, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), serum level of insulin, epididymal fat pad, liver weight and the gene expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, interleukin (IL)-10 and cluster of differentiation (CD) 68 were measured. Also, adipose tissue macrophage was analyzed by fluorescence activated cell sorting. Results: Inula helenium significantly reduces oral glucose tolerance levels, insulin serum level and adipose tissue macrophage. Also Inula helenium increased IL-10 gene expression and decreased CD68 gene expression. Conclusions: These results show that Inula helenium has anti-insulin resistance and anti-inflammatory effects on a high fat diet-induced insulin resistance mouse model.