%0 Journal Article
%T Emodin Protects against Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Regulating the AKT/GSK-3¦Â Signaling Pathway in the Rat Model
%A Zhiqin Wu
%A Qingwei Chen
%A Dazhi Ke
%A Guiqiong Li
%A Wei Deng
%J Molecules
%P 14782-14793
%D 2014
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/molecules190914782
%X Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been recognized as a major health problem. Emodin (Emo) has been reported to exhibit protective effects against diabetic nephropathy. However, little has been known about the effect of Emo on diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). A type 2 DM model was induced in rats by low dose streptozotocin (STZ) combined with high energy intake. We found that Emo-treated groups displayed significantly higher body weight (BW) and lower heart weight (HW)/BW. Furthermore, Emo could significantly decrease blood glucose, total cholesterol (TG) levels, and triglyceride (TC) levels in diabetic rats. Moreover, the Emo-treated group showed a marked increase in heart rate (HR) and showed lower left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LWPWT), and interventricular septal diastolic wall thickness (IVSD). Emo induced a significant increase in phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3¦Â in myocardium. These results suggest that Emo may have great therapeutic potential in the treatment of DCM by Akt/GSK-3¦Â signaling pathway.
%K emodin
%K diabetic cardiomyopathy
%K blood glucose
%K Akt
%K GSK-3¦Â
%U http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/19/9/14782