Imperatorin alleviates metabolic and vascular alterations in high-fat/high-fructose diet-fed rats by modulating adiponectin receptor 1, eNOS, and p47 expression.

In the present study, the therapeutic effects of imperatorin on metabolic and vascular alterations and possible underlying mechanisms were investigated in high-fat/high-fructose diet (HFFD)-fed rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat diet plus 15% fructose in drinking water for 16 weeks. HFFD-fed rats were treated with imperatorin (15 or 30 mg/kg/day) for the last 4 weeks. In HFFD-fed rats, imperatorin significantly reduced obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. Imperatorin markedly improved vascular endothelial function and alleviated changes in vascular morphology. Furthermore, imperatorin treatment significantly increased the plasma levels of the nitric oxide metabolite and adiponectin, and upregulated adiponectin receptor 1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein expression in the thoracic aorta. Imperatorin treatment decreased vascular superoxide anion production and downregulated aortic NADPH oxidase subunit p47 protein expression. These findings indicated that imperatorin alleviates HFFD-induced metabolic and vascular alterations in rats. The possible underlying mechanism may involve the restoration of adiponectin receptor 1 and eNOS expression and suppression of p47 expression.