Thermogenic, anti-obesity effects of bofu-tsusho-san in MSG-obese mice.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the hypothesis that anti-obesity action of bofu-tsusho-san (TJ-62) works via activating the brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and inhibiting the phosphodiesterase activity.

DESIGN:

MSG obese mice and lean controls were fed a diet including 1.4% or 4.7% TJ-62 of weight of food for 8 weeks. Another group of MSG obese mice were fed with 1-ephedrine (1-E) + d-pseudoephedrine (d-PE) of equivalent amounts as contained in TJ-62 (4.7%) for 8 weeks. Yet another group of MSG obese mice were further supplemented with Glycyrrhizae Radix (GR) extract + Forsythiae Fructus (FF) extract + Schizonepetae Spica (SS) extract (that inhibited phosphodiesterase activity) of amounts contained in TJ-62 (4.7%) for 8 weeks.

MEASUREMENTS:

The following were measured: The concentration of ephedrine and its congeners in TJ-62; the inhibitory effect of TJ-62 on phosphodiesterase activity; body weight; food intake; retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (RWAT) weight; interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) weight; mitochondrial protein content in IBAT; cytochrome c oxidase activity in IBAT; guanosine-5'-diphosphate (GDP) binding in IBAT mitochondria.

RESULTS:

One gram of TJ-62 contained 3.33 mg of 1-E and 0.73 mg of d-PE. One mg of TJ-62 was equivalent to 2.5 mg of caffeine in the inhibitory effect on phosphodiesterase activity. After feeding with TJ-62, GDP binding was significantly increased in a dose dependent manner. Body weight and RWAT weight decreased in both MSG obese mice and lean controls. Food intake was not changed by TJ-62. Feeding with 1-E + d-PE produced responses of about 70% of those of TJ-62. These responses were, furthermore, enhanced by the addition of the three extracts to the levels that were similar to those produced by TJ-62.

CONCLUSION:

Bofu-tsusho-san (TJ-62) works via activating the BAT thermogenesis and inhibiting the phosphodiesterase activity in mice.

• Authors: T Yoshida, N Sakane, Y Wakabayashi, T Umekawa, M Kondo
• Journal: International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity (Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord) Vol. 19 Issue 10 Pg. 717-22 (Oct 1995) England
• PMID: 8589765 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
• bofu-tsusho-san
• Guanosine Diphosphate
• Electron Transport Complex IV
• Ephedrine
• Sodium Glutamate

Topics

• Adipose Tissue (enzymology, metabolism, physiology)
• Animals
• Body Composition (drug effects, physiology)
• Body Temperature Regulation (drug effects, physiology)
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Eating (drug effects, physiology)
• Electron Transport Complex IV (analysis)
• Energy Metabolism (drug effects, physiology)
• Ephedrine (blood, pharmacology)
• Female
• Glycyrrhiza
• Guanosine Diphosphate (metabolism)
• Japan
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred ICR
• Mice, Obese
• Mitochondria (metabolism)
• Obesity (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors (pharmacology)
• Plants, Medicinal
• Sodium Glutamate (administration & dosage)
• Time Factors