The Korean traditional medicine Gyeongshingangjeehwan inhibits obesity through the regulation of leptin and PPARalpha action in OLETF rats.
Gyeongshingangjeehwan (GGEx), which comprises Liriope platyphylla F.T. Wang & T. Tang (Liliaceae), Platycodongrandiflorum A. DC. (Campanulaceae), Schisandrachinensis K. Koch (Magnoliaceae), and Ephedra sinica Stapf (Ephedraceae), has traditionally been used as an anti-obesity drug in Korean local clinics, although there is no evidence concerning the scientific analyses of its effects and mechanism(s) of action. Thus, we investigated the effects of GGEx on obesity, as well as the mechanism by which GGEx functions, in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) male rats. Compared with obese OLETF control rats, administration of GGEx for 8 weeks significantly decreased food intake and plasma leptin levels as well as body weight gain and abdominal fat in OLETF rats. GGEx treatment not only decreased circulating triglycerides, but also inhibited lipid accumulation in the liver. GGEx increased the hepatic mRNA levels of PPARalpha target genes responsible for fatty acid beta-oxidation. Consistent with the in vivo data, GGEx elevated PPARalpha reporter gene expression in NMu2Li liver cells. These results suggest that GGEx may effectively prevent obesity and hypertriglyceridemia in part through the inhibition of feeding and the activation of hepatic PPARalpha.
Jeong
Sunhyo
S
Department of Life Sciences, Mokwon University, Taejon 302-729, Republic of Korea.
Chae
Kyungsil
K
Jung
Yang Sam
YS
Rho
Young Ho
YH
Lee
Jinmi
J
Ha
Juran
J
Yoon
Ki Hyeon
KH
Kim
Gyeong Cheol
GC
Oh
Ki Sook
KS
Shin
Soon Shik
SS
Yoon
Michung
M
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000187:drug effects; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020334:Rats, Inbred OLETF; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D020738:Leptin; D047493:PPAR alpha; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014280:Triglycerides