Abstract: OBJECTIVE To assess the therapeutic effect of propolis in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus and study the mechanism of its therapeutic effect. METHODS Prepare the model of type 2 diabetic rats. Then the rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, propolis high dose group, propolis low dose group, glibenclamide group, each group with 10 rats. Treatment groups were orally administered for 4 weeks. At the same time, normal group and model group were treated with the same dose saline. After 12 h fasting, collect the blood from the femoral artery and detect blood of fasting plasma glucose(FPG), lipids(TG, TC) test, insulin(Ins) levels, C-reactive protein, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and take pathological anatomy on the thoracic aortic. RESULTS By high-sugar and high-fat diet and the intraperitoneal injection of low-dose streptozotocin, type 2 diabetes rat model was established. The blood glucose and urine glucose in model group increased obviously(P<0.01). The blood of fasting plasma glucose, lipids test, insulin levels in propolis high dose group and propolis low dose group were significantly different with model group(P<0.01 or P<0.05). The effect of high dose group was better than the low dose group, closing to the glibenclamide group. Thoracic aortic lesions improved. The blood level of CRP, IL-6, TNF-α in treatment group decreased obviously(P<0.01 or P<0.05). CONCLUSION Propolis can treat the type 2 diabetes and its complications. The therapeutic mechanism may be related to the impact of the level of serum inflammatory factors.