Zhenjiang　aromatic　vinegar　is　a　famous　traditional　fermented　cooking　ingredient　in　China,　with　multiple　nutritional　and　medicinal　applications.　Zhenjiang　aromatic　vinegar　extract　(100–400　μg/mL)　is　rich　in　polyphenols　increased　the　glucose　uptake　and　glucose　consumption　in　high　glucose-induced　insulin　resistant　HepG2　(IR-HepG2)　cells.　Zhenjiang　aromatic　vinegar　extract　enhanced　glycogen　synthesis　and　attenuated　gluconeogenesis　by　regulating　key　enzymes　in　IR-HepG2　cells.　In　addition,　Zhenjiang　aromatic　vinegar　extract　ameliorated　high　glucose-induced　IR　by　inhibiting　phosphorylated　insulin　receptor　substrate-1　(IRS-1)　expression　and　activating　phosphatidylinositol　3-kinase　(PI3K)/protein　kinase　B　(Akt)　pathway　in　IR-HepG2　cells.　Moreover,　Zhenjiang　aromatic　vinegar　extract　reduced　reactive　oxygen　species　generation　and　phosphorylated　c-Jun　NH2　terminal　kinase　(JNK)　expression　in　IR-HepG2　cells.　The　attenuation　of　the　high　glucose　is　owned　to　the　PI3K/Akt　pathway　activation,　glycogen　synthesis　induction　and　gluconeogenesis　suppression　in　IR-HepG2　cells.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd