• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.170-187
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• 2011

Background : Obesity, the syndrome caused by a high fat diet, is a disease. At the same time, obesity causes diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. Recently, its prevalence rate is increasing. Yagwan-cheunghyeoltang (YCT) used in this experiment is the prescription of Yagwanmoon added to Cheunghyeol-tang which is reported to be very effective in weight loss controlling and serum cholesterol. It is also reported that Yagwanmoon has significant antioxidant effects and YCT has a significant effect on blood glucose control. Objectives : This study was conducted to experimentally evaluate the effects of YCT on obesity in rats induced by high fat diet. Methods : The experiment was conducted with 4-week-old male rat s divided into 5 groups. They were a normal diet group, a high fat diet group, a positive drug control group, a 1% YCT group, and a YCT 3% group, and were tested for eight weeks. After four weeks of inducing obesity by a high fat diet, rats were allowed to lose weight by following the normal diet group, approximately 30% compared with 10 rats in each group were determined as still obese. Changes in body weight and organ weight and serum cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose-density, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, antioxidant activity were checked. Results : In the experimental groups, we observed weight loss and visceral fat reduction, improvement of liver function, reduction of serum glucose, activation of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, reduction of concentrations of leptin and it showed a significant effect on antioxidants and lipid peroxidation. Conclusions : YCT has significant effects on the regulation of hyperlipidemia and lipid peroxidation associated with obesity and has significant effects on, antioxidants and lipid peroxidation, too. Additional clinical studies are needed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.99-106
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• 2017

Obesity is a critical risk factor for the hypertension. Although angiotensin II (Ang II) in obese individuals is known to be upregulated in obesity-induced hypertension, direct evidence that explains the underlying mechanism for increased vascular tone and consequent increase in blood pressure (BP) is largely unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the novel mechanism underlying Ang II-induced hyper-contractility and hypertension in obese rats. Eight-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with 60% fat diet or normal diet for 4 months. Body weight, plasma lipid profile, plasma Ang II level, BP, Ang II-induced vascular contraction, and expression of regulatory proteins modulating vascular contraction with/without Ang II stimulation were measured. As a result, high fat diet (HFD) accelerated age-dependent body weight gaining along with increased plasma Ang II concentration. It also increased BP and Ang II-induced aortic contraction. Basal expression of p-CPI-17 and myosin light chain (MLC) kinase was increased by HFD along with increased phosphorylation of MLC. Ang II-induced phosphorylation of CPI-17 and MLC were also higher in HFD group than control group. In conclusion HFD-induced hypertension is through at least in part by increased vascular contractility via increased expression and activation of contractile proteins and subsequent MLC phosphorylation induced by increased Ang II.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the anti-diabetic effects of Spargaium stoloniferum Buchanan-Hamilton (Sparganii Rhizoma, SR) extract on diabetic rats. Methods: Diabetes was induced with Sprague-Dawley rats by high fat/high sucrose (HF/HS) diet for 4 weeks and injection of a single low dose of streptozotocin (STZ; 35 mg/kg). SR water extract at 500 mg/kg was orally administrated once a day for 4 weeks. Body weights, food and water intakes and urine volumes were measured. The levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were measured in the sera of rats. Histological changes were observed in pancreas, liver, and kidney tissues by H&E staining. Results: The administration of Sparganii Rhizoma extract at 500 mg/kg in diabetic rats did not shown a significant difference in body weight changes and GPT levels, but showed meaningful changes in an increase of urination volume, and decrease of serum glucose and insulin levels. Total cholesterol and GPT levels were also significantly decreased after SR extract administration in diabetic rats. Furthermore, the abnormal changes of pancreas, liver and kidney were also improved by Sparganii Rhizoma extract administration. Conclusions: These results indicate that SR extract can improve HF/HS-diet and STZ-induced diabetic damages in rats through inhibition of the blood glucose and insulin increase.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.177-196
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• 2006

Objective : This experimental study was designed to determine the effects of BPT on obesity in vivo and in vitro. Methods : in vitro, BPTn extracts of various concentration(50, 100, 200 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$) were added in 3T3-L1 cell. Adipocyte differentiation was measured by Oil Red O staining and Morphological examination. The expression of $C/EBP{\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\gamma}$ receptor was measured by western blot assay and RT-PCR in vivo, Rats were orally administered BPT daily for consecutive four weeks before poloxamer-407 induced hyperlipidemic state. The rats were sacrificed 24 hrs later for poloxamer-407 treated and then serum triglyceride, total cholesterol were measured ; Rats were orally administered BPT daily for consecutive four weeks before triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipidemic state. The rats were sacrificed 40 hrs later for triton WR-1339 treated and then serum triglyceride, total cholesterol were measured ; Rats with obesity were induced by the high fat-diet for six weeks and then serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, hydroxy radical, superoxide dismuatse activity were measured. Results : In vitro, The 3T3-L1 cells' differentiation was significantly decreased by BPT. The expression of $C/EBP{\alpha}$ and $C/EBP{\beta}$ was decreased by BPT. In vivo, BPT significantly reduced serum triglyceride, total cholesterol contents in poloxamer-407 treated rat. BPT significantly reduced serum triglyceride contents in Triton WR-1339 treated rat. Total cholesterol also reduced but did not show a significant change. BPT significantly reduced body weight gain of rat and adipose tissue mass of rats and serum triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol contents and significantly increased HDL-cholesterol, HTR(HDL-cholesterol/Total-cholesterol) in rats with obesity induced by the high fat-diet. BPT reduced blood lipid peroxide, hydroxy radical and increased superoxide dismuatse(SOD) activity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.36 no.2 s.141
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• pp.109-115
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• 2005

The herb of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Liliaceae) has been used as an edible wild herb and to treat heart failure and gastritis. We have already reported antihyperlipidemic anti-tumor effects of this plant. To enlarge the commercial availability of this food, it was investigated whether the extracts of A. victorialis var. platyphyllum reduce hyperlipidemia and obesity or not. The plants tested in this experiment were collected from two eco-types of Is. Ullung and Mt. Odae cultivated at Pyongchang. Extracts were prepared by extracting the fresh leaves and those dried at $36^{\circ}C$ and $90^{\circ}C$, respectively. Pretreatment with the ethanolic extracts for two weeks(p.o.) reduced serum triglyceride-, total cholesterol- and LDL-cholesterol contents in rats induced by Triton WR-1339, respectively. Furthermore, oral administration of the extracts also inhibited the hyperlipidemia induced with oral diet of 30% corn oil. In the other attempt to find to alleviate the obesity, the model rats with obesity were induced by the high fat-diet for six weeks. Post-treatment with the extracts for two weeks significantly reduced the hyperlipidemia. Retroperitoneal-, epidymal- and total abdominal fat pad weights were considerably reduced at 100 mg/kg oral administration of the extracts. Increased feces lipid contents were also found in the rat treated with the extracts. The extract may lead to the higher activity in treatment of hyperlipidemia and obesity than of the dried one.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2010

Tae-Um-Jo-wee-Tang (TUJWT) and Do-Dam-Tang (DDT) have been used as an anti-obesity herbal medicine but their effect and mechanism of action have not been studied. We investigated the effects of TUJWT and DDT on energy and glucose homeostasis using Sprague Dawley female rats with diet-induced obesity. The mechanisms of action of TUJWT and DDT were studied whether they had anti-obesity effects. Rats fed a high-fat diet were divided into 3 groups: rats in each group received 2 g water extracts of modified TUJWT and DDT, or 2 g cellulose per kg body weight (a negative control) on a daily basis. A further group was fed a low-fat diet as a positive control. We found that DDT significantly decreased body weight and body fat (mesenteric fat and retroperitoneal fat) more than the control. This decrease was due to the reduction in energy intake but no changes of energy expenditure. However, DDT increased fat oxidation as a major energy source than the control. In addition, modified TUJWT and DDT improved glucose tolerance without changing serum insulin levels during an oral glucose tolerance test. In conclusion, DDT have a better anti-obesity effect than TUJWT by decreasing energy intake in female rats with diet-induced obesity. It also improves glucose tolerance.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.290-297
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the dietary effects of chitosan mixture (CM), an herbal medicine mixture with Sukjihwang (HS), and CM containing HS (CHS) on obesity in an induced obese model of rats fed high-fat only (HF), in which supplemented diets of 5% CM (HCM), 5% HS (HHS), or 2.5% CM-2.5% HS (HCH) was tested for 6 weeks. Body weight gains, obesity indexes, and body fat contents in the experimental groups (HCM, HHS, HCH) were decreased compared with HF group. The levels of serum triglyceride, total lipid, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in the experimental groups were markedly decreased, however HDL-cholesterol levels in the experimental groups were slightly increased compared with HF group. In addition, although serum ALT and AST activity, and relative organ weights were lower than those of HF group, serum albumin contents were not significantly different in all experimental groups including the normal control group (NC). In conclusion, there are improved effects on obesity in the obese model of animals with all experimental diets supplementations, and the improvement degrees on obesity depend on the content and compositions of the herbal medicine mixture. Further study is needed on the anti-obesity mechanism of these diets.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.292-296
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to assess the potential of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) to prevent obesity and abnormalities in lipid metabolism induced by ovariectomy in a rat model without stimulatory activity on uterus. MATERIALS/METHODS: Ovariectomized (OVX) rats were treated for 6 weeks with 70% ethanol extracts of Hypericum perforatum [HPEs: whole plant (WHPE) and flower and leaves (FLHPE)], ${\beta}$-estradiol-3-benzoate at a dose of $50{\mu}g/kg/day$ (E2) or vehicle (distilled water). RESULTS: As expected, OVX increased body weight gain and adiposity and showed higher food efficacy ratio. OVX also increased the serum cholesterol as well as insulin resistance, while reducing uterus weight and uterine epithelial proliferation rate. HPEs (WHPE and FLHPE) showed estrogen-like effect on body weight gain, adipose tissue weight and food efficacy ratio in OVX rats. HPEs prevented hypercholesterolemia induced by OVX more effectively than E2. E2 increased uterus weight and epithelial proliferation rate in OVX rats, while HPEs maintained them at the level of the sham-operated animals. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding demonstrates that HPEs can be considered as an effective agent to prevent OVX-induced obesity without stimulatory activity on uterus.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.417-420
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• 2005

To investigate the anti-obesitic effect of FD extract which consisted of Mori radicis Cortex, Hoelen, Pueraria radix, Schizonepetae spica, Carthami Flos, Bupleuri radix and Saposhnikoviae radix in high-fat diet-fed female lean Zucker rats. Obesity was induced by feeding high-lipid diet contained $3\%$ corn oil and $1\%$ cholesterol for 8 weeks, in which FD extract was added to the diet for treatment group. The rats fed on the high fat diet showed increased gain of body weights, leading to enhanced feed efficiency ratio. Moreover high-fat diet induced hepatic lipid peroxidation and hyperlipemia. The body weight, food efficiency ratio and lipid peroxidation in the liver was decreased as compared with the rats fed on the high fat diet by FD extract. With all such changes, the blood biochemistry about lipid was, if anything, risen. These results suggest that FD extract was supposed to have effective ingredients for improving obesity for controlling adipose tissue.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.80-87
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• 2008

Purpose: Hypoestrogenism caused by ovariectomy, disease, or menopause is associated with increased obesity in women. Altered fat distribution and weight gain are consequences of menopausal hypoestrogenism, but the mechanisms responsible are not completely known. This study examined the effect of estrogen on obesity in ovariectomized rats. Method: The groups of female rats were 4 weeks post ovariectomy (OVX) or, 4 weeks post-sham operation (SHAM), and 2 weeks post ovariectomy followed by 2 weeks replacement with estradiol benzoate (ER-$16{\mu}g$/kg, subq, qd). Serum ghrelin level was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The expression of adrenergic receptors in adipose tissue was measured by Western blotting assay. Result: OVX significantly increased body weight, serum cholesterol. Two weeks estrogen replacement reduced body weight accompanied by the increment of serum ghrelin and the reduction of the receptor ratio of adrenergic ${\alpha}_{2A}/{\beta}_1$, and ${\alpha}_{2A}/{\beta}_3$. Conclusion: We provide evidence that estrogen reduces obesity through the altered receptor ratio of adrenergic ${\alpha}_{2A}/{\beta}_1$, and ${\alpha}_{2A}/{\beta}_3$ in adipose tissue in ovariectomized rats.