Liuwei Dihuang Lowers Body Weight and Improves Insulin and Leptin Sensitivity in Obese Rats

The present study was aimed at investigating the efficacy and mechanism(s) of action of a Chinese herbal formulation, Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH), as a prospective natural weight-lowering product. Following a 2-week acclimation period, 48 obesity-prone (OP-CD) rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 12 each). One group served as a positive control for obesity (OP), while the other 3 were challenged twice daily by oral gavage with total daily dosages of 500, 1500, or 3500 mg/kg BW LWDH, respectively, for 10 weeks. One group (n = 12) of obesity-resistant (OR-CD) rats served as the normal control group. All rats were fed the same AIN-93G diet modified to contain 60% energy from fat. The highest LWDH dose significantly reduced body weight during the last 4 weeks of treatment. Food intake was reduced beginning in week 2. The high LWDH dose lowered serum triglyceride (TG) and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels and body fat. Both the high and medium doses also lowered serum leptin and insulin levels. Liver function testing revealed no adverse side effects under the current experimental conditions. The results of the present study suggest that LWDH has potential as a preventive or therapeutic natural product against overweight and obesity

Berberine Improves Glucose Homeostasis in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats in Association with Multiple Factors of Insulin Resistance

The present study was carried out to determine the effect of berberine on glucose homeostasis and several biomarkers associated with insulin sensitivity in male Wistar rats with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Rats with fasting blood glucose 16.7 mmol/L after 2 weeks of STZ injection were divided into two groups. One group was used as the diabetic control and another treated by gavage feeding with 100 mg/kg/d of berberine in water containing 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose. A group of rats without receiving STZ was used as the normal control. After 7 weeks, berberine supplementation moderately but significantly lowered fasting blood glucose levels and improved oral glucose tolerance. Berberine lowered plasma free fatty acids and C-reactive protein levels without affecting plasma insulin levels. Diabetic rats treated with berberine showed significantly lower plasma triacylglycerol and cholesterol levels. Furthermore, berberine inhibited dipeptidyl peptidase-4 and protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B activities. In conclusion, berberine showed a dramatic effect of lowering blood cholesterol and triacylglycerols and improved moderately glucose homeostasis in STZ-induced diabetic rats in association with multiple factors related to insulin resistance

Water Extract of Liuwei Dihuang Reduces Weight Gain and Visceral Fat in Obese Rats

The present study was conducted to determine the effect and mechanism of action of Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH) on weight gain and visceral fat deposition in male obese-prone CD rats. The rats were divided into three groups and fed a high-fat diet (60 kcal% from fat). Two treatment groups received 600 (WE600) or 1200 (WE1200) mg/kg/d LWDH water extract dissolved in water by gavage feeding once a day for 10 weeks. The control rats were gavaged with the vehicle. Daily food intake and weekly body weight were recorded. Energy metabolism was measured using an indirect calorimeter during week 8 of the treatment. At the end of the study, rats were sacrificed. Immediately, visceral fat pads were dissected and weighed. Serum was collected for the measurement of blood lipids and hormones. It was found that WE1200 lowered body weight after 3 weeks of treatment and the effect was maintained throughout the remaining study period. WE1200 also lowered visceral fat mass, serum leptin, plasma free fatty acids and cholesterol, respectively. The energy expenditure was increased by WE1200 in both the light and dark periods. Oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and fat oxidation were increased in both light and dark periods, whereas carbohydrate oxidation increased only in the light period in the WE1200 group. Rats in the WE600 showed lower serum free fatty acids and leptin levels, while showing no effect on the other parameters compared to the control. These results demonstrated potential of using LWDH water extract to treat obesity and its related complications. The effect may be attributable to the increase of energy expenditure, decrease of food intake and improvement of leptin sensitivity

Betaine and Choline Improve Lipid Homeostasis in Obesity by Participation in Mitochondrial Oxidative Demethylation

We investigated the metabolic effects of betaine (Bet) supplementation on CTP:phosphoethanolamine cytidylyltransferase/Pcyt2 heterozygous mice (HET). HET received either no treatment or were allowed access to 1% Bet supplemented water for 8 weeks. As we previously showed with choline (Cho), Bet improved hypertriglyceridemia, and hepatic steatosis in HET. The protection from obesity associated with reduced hepatic steatosis and increased lipid breakdown in adipocytes was attributed to increased energy requirements for metabolism and elimination of supplemented Bet and Cho. 1H-NMR-based profiling revealed metabolic changes caused by Bet and Cho supplementation. Cho increased the citric acid cycle intermediate succinic acid while reducing isoleucine, valine, threonine, and lysine. Bet increased α-ketoglutaric acid and did not stimulate catabolism of amino acids. Increased histidine and alanine are specific biomarkers for Bet treatment. Cho and Bet caused glycerol accumulation and reduced sarcosine, taurine, acetate, and β-hydroxybutyrate levels. These data provide new insights on how Cho and Bet supplementation can aid in treatment of obesity related disorders due to their positive effects on lipolysis, the citric acid cycle, and mitochondrial oxidative demethylation

Low mannitol concentrations in Arabidopsis thaliana expressing Ectocarpus genes improve salt tolerance

Mannitol is abundant in a wide range of organisms, playing important roles in biotic and abiotic stress responses. Nonetheless, mannitol is not produced by a vast majority of plants, including many important crop plants. Mannitol-producing transgenic plants displayed improved tolerance to salt stresses though mannitol production was rather low, in the µM range, compared to mM range found in plants that innately produce mannitol. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying salt tolerance triggered by low concentrations of mannitol. Reported here is the production of mannitol in Arabidopsis thaliana, by expressing two mannitol biosynthesis genes from the brown alga Ectocarpus sp. strain Ec32. To date, no brown algal genes have been successfully expressed in land plants. Expression of mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase and mannitol-1-phosphatase genes was associated with the production of 42.3–52.7 nmol g−1 fresh weight of mannitol, which was sufficient to impart salinity and temperature stress tolerance. Transcriptomics revealed significant differences in the expression of numerous genes, in standard and salinity stress conditions, including genes involved in K+ homeostasis, ROS signaling, plant development, photosynthesis, ABA signaling and secondary metabolism. These results suggest that the improved tolerance to salinity stress observed in transgenic plants producing mannitol in µM range is achieved by the activation of a significant number of genes, many of which are involved in priming and modulating the expression of genes involved in a variety of functions including hormone signaling, osmotic and oxidative stress, and ion homeostasis

Liuwei Dihuang, a traditional Chinese herbal formula, suppresses chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in obese rats

Objective To investigate the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress, and adipokine-ameliorating effects of Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, in obese rats. Methods After 2 weeks of acclimation with free access to regular rodent chow and water, obese-prone-caesarean-derived (OP-CD) rats were fed a modified AIN-93G diet containing 60% energy from fat. Treatment was performed twice daily by gavage feeding with 500, 1 500, or 3 500 mg/kg body weight LWDH suspended in water (n=12 rats per group). Twelve obese-resistant-CD (OR-CD) rats were fed the atherogenic diet and gavaged with water, and served as the normal control. Blood biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and adiponectin were measured post-sacrifice and used to determine the treatment effect of LWDH and assess the suitability of OR/OP-CD rats for studying these parameters. Results After 9 weeks of treatment, LWDH lowered serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumour necrosis factor-\u3b1 (TNF-\u3b1) levels. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels showed a tendency towards reduction, but were not significantly different from the OP-CD control. Liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was increased in response to all three doses of LWDH, while the levels of reduced (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were unchanged. Serum adiponectin levels were increased in response to oral administration of LWDH at the dose of either 500 or 1 500 mg/kg body weight. In addition, comparisons between OR-CD and OP-CD rats revealed differential, and for some biomarkers, conflicting characteristics of high-fat diet-fed OP-CD rats in reference to obese human subjects in terms of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers and circulating adiponectin levels. Conclusion The results show, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress and adiponectin-ameliorating effects of LWDH in obese rats. The suitability of the OR/OP-CD rat model as a research tool to study inflammation, oxidative stress, and adipokine production requires further investigation.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

Compositions comprising Porphyra and methods of making and using thereof

The disclosed subject matter generally relates to compositions comprising Porphyra, as well as to methods of making and using such composition

Ethanol extract of Liuwei Dihuang reduces weight gain and visceral fat in obese-prone CD rats fed a high-fat diet

The current study investigated the effect and mechanisms of action of Liuwei Dihuang ethanol extract (LWDH-EE) on obesity and related metabolic phenotypes in male obese-prone CD rats. The rats were fed a high-fat diet and treated with 0 (obese control), 350 (EE350), or 700 (EE700) mg/kg/d of LWDH-EE in water once a day by gavage feeding for 10 weeks. The EE700 decreased body weight after 3 weeks of the treatment and the effect was maintained throughout the remaining study period. The EE700 also significantly reduced visceral fat and improved metabolic phenotypes by lowering the serum total cholesterol (T-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol, free fatty acids (FFA), and leptin levels. The EE350 reduced epididymal fat, serum T-C, and FFA but did not significantly affect other parameters. LWDH-EE dose-dependently increased fat and carbohydrate oxidations, energy expenditure, and the relative efficiency of fat oxidation for energy expenditure. EE350 and EE700 reduced food intake only in week 5 and did not affect the accumulative food intake in every week and the entire treatment period. Taken together, the results suggest that LWDH-EE is a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of obesity possibly through a primary action of increasing energy metabolism and expenditure, along with a possible effect of decreasing energy intake.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

Anti-obesity efficacy and mechanism of a Chinese herbal formulation

Overweight and obesity have been increasing rapidly over the last couple of decades. It is estimated that by the year 2015, approximately 2.3 billion adults will be classified as overweight (body mass index, BMI (in kg/m2) > 27), at least 700 million of whom will be considered as obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2). As a result, obesity has been referred to by many as a 21st century epidemic. For the treatment and management of overweight and obesity, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the use of herbal formulations has become an increasingly attractive form of alternative/complementary medicine. This trend is also occurring in the face of a weight-loss product market largely typified by mediocre long-term efficacy and safety concerns, and an increasing global desire to seek out and develop both safe and efficacious products from natural sources. An in vivo study using obese-prone rats treated by twice-daily oral gavage with total daily dosages of 500, 1500 or 3500 mg/kg BW of Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH) showed the body weight-lowering efficacy of this herbal formulation. Subsequent in vivo investigations using collected tissues and in vitro studies using relevant cells lines and a 95% ethanol extract of the herbal formulation explored two potential body weight-lowering mechanisms of action, including appetite suppression and enhanced fatty acid oxidation. The results demonstrate the potential of LWDH as a natural agent for the prevention/ management of body weight and highlight its potential.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

Dietary Chinese herbs : chemistry, pharmacology and clinical evidence / Yanze Liu, Wang Zhimin, Junzeng Zhang, editors.

pharmacy bookfair2016Includes bibliographical references and index.xxvi, 802 pages :This work presents up-to-date information on chemical, pharmacological, clinical studies and historical uses of common dietary Chinese herbs. A brief chronological review of Chinese literatures on dietary herb uses, with chapters dedicated to each selected dietary herb, and with plant Latin name indices is provided. Examined are the health benefits that have been studied for centuries. A wide range of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbs are investigated for their suitability into daily diets for maintaining general wellness or disease prevention. In the past decade, natural health products, dietary supplements, functional foods, or nutraceuticals have emerged in the West due to the increasing demand for non-pharmaceutical healthcare products. Traditional Chinese Medicine disease prevention and treatment incorporates the use of foods, and herbal medicine in an integrated manner, and thus the dietary Chinese herbs in used in TCM for thousands of years could be sources for developing new, effective, and safe ingredients to capture the rapidly expanding opportunity in the global market place