Objective       To determine the effects of Rattan tea on insulin resistance in rats of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and investigate the possible underlying molecular mechanism.      Methods      Male SD rats (SPF) fed with high-fat diet and injected with small dose of streptozotocin (STZ) were used to establish type 2 diabetic rat model. Then

T2DM rats were randomly divided into diabetic model group (DIA)

metformin 125 mg/kg group (MET)

dihydromyricetin 100 mg/kg group (DHM)

Rattan tea extracts 50 mg/kg group (R50)

Rattan tea extracts 100 mg/kg group (R100) and Rattan tea extracts 200 mg/kg group (R200). After 4 weeks' intervention

the serum levels of insulin and insulin C-peptide

and the protein expression of p-Akt

FGF21 and p-AMPK were detected by Western blotting

as well as the mRNA expression of FGF21 in liver tissues were measured by real-time RT-PCR.      Results      Compared with DIA group

the levels of blood glucose

insulin and HOMA-IR were decreased significantly

meanwhile

the serum level of insulin C-peptide was increased significantly

the protein expression of p-Akt

FGF21

p-AMPK and FGF21 was up-regulated in liver tissues

as well as mRNA expression of FGF21 (P0.05).      Conclusion       Rattan tea improves insulin resistance in diabetic rats via up-regulating the expression of p-Akt

FGF21 and p-AMPK.