Effect of artemisinin on improving islet function in rats fed with maternal high-fat diet.

Background: Maternal high-fat diet (HFD) is a detrimental factor in developing glucose intolerance, obesity, and islet dysfunction. However, the effect of artemisinin on maternal HFD and whether it is related to the alterations of islet function is seldom studied since artemisinin treatments not only attenuate insulin resistance (IR) and restore islet ß cell function in Diabetes mellitus type 2.

Methods: Female rats were randomly fed a HFD (45% kcal from fat), HFD + artemisinin, or a regular chow diet (RCD) before pregnancy and during gestation.