“…Most interestingly, icariin exhibits anti-diabetic effects. It could reduce lipid accumulation in adipocytes ( Han et al, 2016 ), inhibit adipocyte differentiation ( Han et al, 2016 ), improve insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, and lipid metabolism in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice ( Fu et al, 2015 ), and ameliorate diabetic complications such as diabetic retinopathy ( Qi et al, 2011 ; Xin et al, 2012 ) and diabetic-related erectile dysfunction ( Liu et al, 2011 ; Wang et al, 2017 ). In normal skeletal muscle C2C12 cells, icariin mimics insulin function.…”