IL21 and Insulin resistance: Similarly, as for the other three alkaloid components of THF, namely, berberine, coptisine, and palmatine, literature demonstrates that they can reduce ischemia/reperfusion-induced myocardial apoptosis in diabetic rats [46], can ameliorate insulin resistance in obese rats [47], and can inhibit IL-21/IL-21R mediated inflammatory proliferation [48], through the PI3K-AKT pathway.