Objective   To investigate some points in evaluating the effects of insulin sensitizer on obesity-associated non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus Zucker fa/fa rat model.    Methods   Total 20 male Zucker fa/fa rats were divided into model group and rosiglitazone groups. Another 10 male Zucker fa/? rats served as normal control. Rosiglitazone at 6 mg/kg was given intragastrically once per day for 4 weeks

and the rats of the other 2 groups were fed with same solvent at same volume.     Results   Rosiglitazone reduced the levels of fasting insulin

triglyceride (TG) and free fatty acid (FFA) of Zucker fa/fa rats (P0.05)

increased glucose infusion rate (GIR) and insulin sensitive index (ISI) of Zucker fa/fa rats in hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps (P0.05). HE staining demonstrated that rosiglitazone had significantly improved the hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the islets of Langerhans.     Conclusion   Zucker fa/fa rat model (7- to 8-week-old and level of fasting insulin over 4 ng/ml) can be used to evaluate the effects of insulin sensitizer by inspecting the levels of fasting insulin

TG and FFA

through hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps.