The Anti-obesity Effects of Tongbi-san in a High-fat Diet-induced Obese Mouse Model

Overview

Journal BMC Complement Altern Med

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Rehabilitation Medicine

Date 2019 Jan 5

PMID 30606178

Citations 17

Authors

Yea-Jin Park

Gui-Sun Lee

Se-Yun Cheon

Yun-Yeop Cha

Hyo-Jin An

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Recently, it has been noted that natural herbal medications may be effective in treating obesity. Tongbi-san (TBS) is a traditional medicine usually used for dysuria (i.e., painful urination), containing three herbs, Cyperus rotundus L., Citrus unshiu Markovich, and Poria cocos. In this study, we aimed to examine whether TBS can inhibit high-fat diet (HFD)-induced adipogenesis in the liver and epididymal adipose tissue of obese mice.

Methods: Male C57BL/6 N mice were fed a normal diet, an HFD, an HFD plus orlistat 10 or 20 mg/kg, or an HFD plus TBS 50 or 100 mg/kg for 11 weeks. Body weight was checked weekly and histological tissue examinations were investigated. An expression of genes involved in adipogenesis was also assessed.

Results: Oral administration of TBS significantly reduced body weight and decreased epididymal and visceral white adipose tissue (WAT) weight. In addition, we found that TBS enhanced the expression of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited the expression of transcription factors, such as CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) in the liver and epididymal WAT as measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the anti-obesity effects of TBS may be linked to the activation of AMPK.

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