Abstract: AIM: To investigate the effects of puerarin on expression and translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) in adipocyte of rats with insulin resistance induced by diets.METHODS: Experimental rats were divided into three groups:control group (n=10), model group (n=10) and puerarin group (n=10) randomly. Animals in model group and puerarin group were fed with the diets enriched with sucrose (20 %, w w), lard (10 %, w w), cholesterol (2.5 %, w w) and cholic acid (1 %, w w) to induce insulin resistance. Puerarin group were treated with puerarin (100 mg·kg^-1 body weight, ip) every day for 6 weeks.After the plasma membranes and the intracellular membranes of adipocyte were prepared and separated, GLUT4 protein was detected by Western blot analysis.Body weight, serum triglyceride and cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose and serum insulin concentration were detected termly.And the insulin sensitivity index was also calculated.RESULTS: Western blot analysis showed that intracellular membranes GLUT4 protein in adipocyte of model group rats decreased by 38.72 % (P<0.05) and plasma membranes GLUT4 protein decreased by 21.91 % (P<0.05) as compared with rats of control group.After 6 weeks of treatment of puerarin, intracellular membranes GLUT4 protein of purarin group rats did not change and plasma membranes GLUT4 protein increased 21.46 % (P<0.05) as compared with rats of model group.CONCLUSION: Puerarin can increase the amount of GLUT4 protein in adipocyte of rats with insulin resistance and ameliorate translocation of GLUT4, which may increase the uptake and utilization of glucose.

Key words: puerarin, GLUT4, insulin resistance, adipocyte, animal models