Hengtang Capsule Improves Glucose and Lipid Metabolism and Oxidative Stress Levels in Db/db Mice and Underlying Mechanisms

Objectives Diabetes involves abnormalities in glucolipid metabolism, with oxidative stress serving as a major contributing factor. The Hengtang capsule is a dietary supplement that helps maintain healthy blood glucose (BG) and lipid levels as well as healthy body weight. Given the antioxidative stress effects of various components in the Hengtang capsule, the Hengtang capsule may offer a novel therapeutic approach for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this study, we investigated the ability of the Hengtang capsule to treat T2DM through a combination of network pharmacology and animal experiments. Methods The underlying mechanisms of the Hengtang capsule in treating T2DM were predicted via network pharmacology. After conducting an experiment for 4 weeks, the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), fasting blood glucose (FBG), liver function, lipid profile, and oxidative stress markers of the db/db mice were measured. Additionally, the effectiveness of the Hengtang capsule as an antidiabetic agent was assessed via hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and immunofluorescence assays. Results Five core targets, including TP53, AKT1, CTNNB1, STAT3, and EGFR, were identified. The targets were associated mainly with the PI3K/Akt, lipid and atherosclerosis, RAGE/AGE, and FoxO signaling pathways. Additionally, treatment with the Hengtang capsule resulted in significant reductions in the area under the curve (AUC), FBG, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) compared to those of the negative control group. In contrast, the concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH), and the area occupied by insulin-positive cells increased significantly. Moreover, improvements in liver histopathology were observed. Conclusion The results showed that the Hengtang capsule may exert therapeutic effects on diabetes by modulating glycolipid metabolism and oxidative stress.