Abstract
Targeting energy expenditure offers a strategy for treating obesity more effectively and safely. In previous studies, we found that the root of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidzumi (Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba, ARA) increased energy metabolism in C2C12 cells. Here, we investigated the effects of ARA on obesity and glucose intolerance by examining energy metabolism in skeletal muscle and brown fat in high-fat diet (HFD) induced obese mice. ARA decreased body weight gain, hepatic lipid levels and serum total cholesterol levels, but did not modify food intake. Fasting serum glucose, serum insulin levels and glucose intolerance were all improved in ARA treated mice. Furthermore, ARA increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1α) expression, and the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in skeletal muscle tissues, and also prevented skeletal muscle atrophy. In addition, the numbers of brown adipocytes and the expressions of PGC1α and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) were elevated in the brown adipose tissues of ARA treated mice. Our results show that ARA can prevent diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance in C5BL/6 mice and suggests that the mechanism responsible is related to the promotion of energy metabolism in skeletal muscle and brown adipose tissues.
Highlights
Obesity develops when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure
Energy intake was higher in the high-fat diet (HFD) group than in the normal diet (ND) group, but remarkably energy intakes were no higher in the ARA groups versus HFD controls, whereas metformin significantly reduced intake versus HFD controls (Figure 1B)
We report ARA improves obesity and glucose metabolism in obese mice and suggest that this effect is connected with increased energy metabolism in skeletal muscle and brown adipose tissue (BAT)
Summary
Obesity develops when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure. To combat obesity and obesity-induced insulin resistance, increasing energy expenditure is more effective in the long-term than reducing energy intake, such as by appetite suppression [1,2]. In traditional Korean medicine (TKM) or traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), “qi” deficiency is considered as being associated with a cold constitution, and sluggish metabolism, being a cause of metabolic disorders, such as obesity [6,7,8]. From this viewpoint, herbal drugs, like qi invigorating herbs, offer an empirical rationale that could be applied to the treatment of metabolic syndrome [9,10]. Few studies have investigated the abilities of qi invigorating herbs to treat obesity
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