Hypoglycemic effect of inulin combined with ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides in T2DM rats

[Display omitted] •The hypoglycemia effect of inulin combined with ganoderma polysaccharides was studied.•The inulin combined with ganoderma polysaccharides could improve insulin resistance.•The inulin combined with ganoderma polysaccharides could increase glycogen synthesis.•The inulin combined with ganoderma polysaccharides could regulate PI3K/Akt pathway. It has been reported that both inulin and ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides are conducive to glucose metabolism. The aim of present study was to explore the hypoglycemia effect and molecular mechanism of the inulin combined with ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides in type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) rats. T2DM rats were induced by high fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ). Then the inulin and ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides were administered orally to the T2DM rats for 5 weeks. Subsequently, the glycometabolism relevant parameters were evaluated in all rats, and the molecular mechanism including the key mRNA levels and protein expressions in PI3K/Akt pathway was explored. The results showed that the combination of inulin and ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides could significantly improve the glucose and lipid metabolism related parameters in T2DM rats, which seemed to be related to enhancing the insulin sensitivity, increasing the glycogen synthesis and facilitating the glucose transportation by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway.