Objective To explore the effects of telmisartan on expression of peroxisome proliferators PPARs activated receptors and adiponectin receptor 2 in rats with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Methods Forty male SD rats were randomized into normal-diet control group (NC, n=15), high fat-diet control group (FC, n=15), and high fat-diet with telmisartan group (FT, n=10). NC group was given standard diet and the other two groups were given high-fat diet.At the end of the 12th week, 5 rats which were randomly selected from both the NC and FC groups were given euglycermic hyperinsulinemia clamp to see if fat-liver model of rats with insulin resistance was successfully induced, and rat livers were removed for pathological examination to determine the extents of NASH. Afterwards, rats in the FT group was given telmisartan (5 mg/kg·d) while rats in both the NC and FC groups were given the same volume of 0.9% saline solution by intragastric gavage for another 4 weeks.After glucose infusion rates (GIRs) were obtained by the euglycermic hyperinsulinemia clamp technique at the end of the 16th week, all rats were sacrificed and the body weight was recorded, and serum lipids, aminotransferases and fasting blood glucose were measured. The mRNA expressions of peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs), adiponectin receptor-2 and angiotensin Ⅱ type-1 receptor in the liver tissue were assessed by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reactions. Results The expressions of PPARα, PPARγ and AdipoR2 mRNA in the liver tissue of FC group were decreased significantly compared with the NC group (P<0.01), and the expression of AT1R mRNA of the liver tissue in FC group was increased significantly compared with NC group (P<0.01). Compared with the FC group, the expressions of PPARα, PPARγ and AdipoR2 mRNA in the FT group were increased (P<0.01).Serum aminotransferases, lipids and fasting blood glucose level in the rats of FC group were increased significantly compared with rats of the NC group (P<0.01), and serum aminotransferases, lipids and fasting blood glucose level in the rats of FT group were greatly improved compared with the FC group. Conclusions Telmisartan can improve glucose and lipid metabolism, stop weight gain, decrease liver index, and alleviate steatosis and inflammation of NASH rats by improving insulin resistance. Telmisartan may play an effective role in the protection of rat liver with NASH.