Abstract: Aim The antihy perglycemia effect of vandate in a certain do sage and the concurrent change of relevant hormones were observed.Methods Gavage method was employed to introduce sodium or thovanadate (20 mg·kg^-1·d^-1, 2 wks)into Wistar rats with or without diabetes, and oralglucose tolerance test (OGTT), glucose-induced insulin secretion curve (GIISC), body weight and serum levels of glucagon and corticosterone were detected.Results This dosage of vanadate did not exert significantly inf luence on OGTT and serum levels of glucagon and corticosterone, but inhibited maximal insulin secretion and body weight gain in normal rats.In diabetic rats, by contrast, OGTT was improved significantly and the elevated glucagon and corticosterone were reduced markedly or normalized by vanadate, but body weight and GIISC did not change significantly. Conclusion Vandate in such dosage lowers glycemia effectively, ameliorates the disorder of glucose homeostasis and glucotropic hormones, but has obvious side-effect on body weight.

Key words: vanadate, experimental diabetes mellitus, corticosterone, glucagon