Hypoglycemic and hypolipidaemic activities of polysaccharides from Rhodiola rosea in KKAy mice

Hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia are major risk factors for developing coronary artery diseases and atherosclerosis; therefore, therapeutic drugs must be developed to prevent these conditions. Rhodiola rosea is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, R. rosea polysaccharides (RPs) were prepared by hot water extraction, and their hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities were evaluated. KKAy mice were gavaged once daily with either distilled water (control) or RPs for 6 weeks. Intragastric RP administration improved oral glucose tolerance, decreased serum insulin levels, serum triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). Results suggest that RPs exhibit high hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities and could be explored as possible therapeutic agents for diabetes mellitus. Practical applications Rhodiola rosea polysaccharides have high hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities and could be explored as possible therapeutic agents for diabetes mellitus and of practical industrial relevance.