Effect and interactions of Pueraria-Rehmannia and aerobic exercise on metabolic inflexibility and insulin resistance in ovariectomized rats fed with a high-fat diet

Due to limitations of estrogen replacement therapy, life style interventions have received a growing attention. This study aimed to determine whether Pueraria-Rehmannia (PR) and/or aerobic exercise (Ex) could reduce cardiometabolic dysfunction in an ovariectomized/high-fat diet rat model. PR ameliorated circulating levels of total cholesterol, LDL/HDL ratio, and leptin. It reduced fat mass, fat size, leptin gene expression, and macrophage infiltration in adipocytes. PR maintained leptin receptor gene expression in muscle tissues. It stimulated insulin-mediated GLUT4 translocation in muscle and adipose tissues. PR plus Ex resulted in further improvement in glucose homeostasis by stimulating Akt-mediated insulin receptor expression in the liver. Moreover, PR and/or Ex reduced vascular wall thickness and intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 production without causing uterotrophic effect. These results suggest that PR and Ex may exert synergistic effects in modifying metabolic dysfunctions and insulin resistance, thus suppressing cardiovascular risks in postmenopausal women through restoring insulin sensitivity and attenuating inflammation.