To investigate the effects of the combination of sodium alginate and chitosan on glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in mice subjected to a high-fat diet.

The 6-week-old SPF-grade mice were divided into 5 groups. All mice, except for those in the control group, were fed a high-fat diet and administered sodium alginate and chitosan via gavage. Throughout the feeding period, body weight, fasting blood glucose levels,results from glucose tolerance tests and insulin tolerance tests were recorded. Mice were euthanised after 16 weeks and blood and tissue samples were collected, followed by sequential testing of relevant indicators.

Compared to the high-fat model group, the weight gain rates in the chitosan group, sodium alginate group and combined treatment group were significantly reduced (P<0.05). Additionally, blood glucose levels showed a significant decrease, while serum levels of triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also significantly lower. Conversely, the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased; however, this change was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Furthermore, the content of malondialdehyde in the liver decreased significantly, whereas superoxide dismutase levels exhibited a significant increase. The content of catalase and total antioxidant capacity also increased to varying extents; nonetheless, these differences did not reach statistical significance (P>0.05). Both sodium alginate and chitosan demonstrated a notable ability to inhibit hepatic fat accumulation, with sodium alginate exhibiting superior efficacy compared to chitosan.

The impact of sodium alginate on the regulation of glycolipid metabolism disorders in mice subjected to a high-fat diet is more pronounced than that of chitosan. Furthermore, the combined effect of both agents surpasses their individual effects.