Background <p>Bile acids (BAs) play critical roles in regulating glucose, lipid and energy metabolism, but its effects on type 2 diabetes is not very clear, we studied the effects of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) intervention on blood glucose and related metabolic indexes in type 2 diabetes rats.</p> Methods <p>Male SD rats (<i>n</i> = 30) were divided into three groups: the normal control group (Group A, <i>n</i> = 10), the type 2 diabetes group (Group B, <i>n</i> = 10), and the type 2 diabetes plus UDCA intervention group (Group C, <i>n</i> = 10). At the end of experiment, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) were performed. Serum biochemical parameters, the levels of insulin and C-peptide, liver triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels were determined. The expression of genes related to lipid, glucose and BAs metabolism in the liver was examined by real-time PCR.</p> Results <p>Compared with those in Group A, in Group B, the areas under the curves (AUC) for the OGTTs increased, while the AUC for levels of insulin and C-peptide decreased, the levels of the liver TG and TC, liver enzymes and serum TG and TC increased. Compared with those in Group B, in Group C, all of the above indicators improved. The expression of genes related to lipid, glucose and BAs metabolism in the liver changed.</p> Conclusions <p>UDCA decreased glucose levels and alleviated related metabolic abnormalities in type 2 diabetes rats.</p>