Dioscorea opposita reverses dexamethasone induced insulin resistance

The effects of Dioscorea opposita (huai shan yao, HSY) on dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance were investigated in vitro and in vivo. D. opposita extract reduced significantly the blood insulin and glucose levels in dexamethasone-induced diabetic rats. In vitro, HSY significantly enhanced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Moreover, HSY increase the mRNA expression of GLUT4 glucose transporter in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These data suggest that D. opposita has insulin sensitivity that is associated with the regulation of GLUT4 expression.