title: Novel weight-reducing activity of Galega officinalis in mice.
abstract: Galega officinalis (galega, Goat's Rue, French Lilac) is well known for its hypoglycaemic action and has been used as part of a plant mixture in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. During pharmacological investigations of an ethanolic extract of a powdered mixture of equal proportions of G. officinalis, Cressa cretica, Mangifera indica and Syzygium jambolanum, a weight reducing effect of galega was discovered. In this study we have investigated the novel weight reducing effect of galega in mice. Galega herb (10% w/w in the diet) caused a significant reduction in body weight in both normal and genetically obese (ob/ob) animals treated for 28 days when compared with respective controls (P < 0.01). In normal mice, the weight loss was reversible and initially associated with a transient reduction in food intake but was then maintained even in the presence of increased eating above the control level. Pair-fed normal mice receiving galega for seven days also showed significant weight loss (P < 0.01, compared with the control) in the presence of increasing food intake. In sharp contrast, weight loss in galega-treated ob/ob mice was accompanied by a persistent reduction in food intake over the 28-day treatment period. Post-mortem examinations of all galega-treated mice revealed a striking absence of body fat. Serum glucose was significantly reduced in both strains of mice receiving galega for 28 days (P < 0.01), whereas serum insulin was significantly reduced only in obese mice (P < 0.01). In summary, together with its established hypoglycaemic effects, galega has a novel weight reducing action that, in normal mice, is largely independent of a reduction in food intake. The mechanism of the weight reducing action of galega is unclear but involves loss of body fat.
authors.affiliation: Phytochemistry Research Laboratories, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palit
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Furman
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004032:Diet; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D014554:Urination / Q000187:drug effects; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D010936:Plant Extracts