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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Physiol.
Sec. Integrative Physiology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1427722

Ling-gui-zhu-gan granules reduces obesity and ameliorates metabolic disorders by inducing white adipose tissue browning in obese mice

Provisionally accepted
Yuxiu Li Yuxiu Li 1Zimengwei Ye Zimengwei Ye 2Yi Zhao Yi Zhao 2Bingrui Xu Bingrui Xu 2Xue Wanying Xue Wanying 3Zhufeng Wang Zhufeng Wang 1Ran An Ran An 1Fan Wang Fan Wang 1RUI WU RUI WU 1,4*
  • 1 Department of Endocrinology, Guang'anmen Hospital South Campus, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
  • 2 Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
  • 3 College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
  • 4 Department of Endocrinology, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Ling-gui-zhu-gan (LGZG) formula has been demonstrated to effectively ameliorate the clinical symptoms of patients with obesity or metabolic syndrome. This study aimed to explore both the effect and the underlying mechanisms of LGZG against obesity. Methods: Male C57BL/6N mice were randomized into four groups (n = 8): normal control (NC), obese (OB), metformin (Met), and LGZG. After 8 weeks of gavage administration, the pharmacological effects of LGZG on obesity and metabolism were investigated using biochemical parameters, histomorphological examination, and lipidomics techniques. Pivotal factors associated with white adipose tissue browning were evaluated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Results: The results revealed that LGZG reduced the levels of obesity markers, including body weights, body fat mass and food intake in obese mice. Further evaluations highlighted that LGZG restored glucose homeostasis and significantly improved insulin sensitivity in obese mice. Importantly, LGZG could adjust serum lipid profiles and regulate the lipidomic spectrum of intestinal contents, with noticeable shifts in the levels of certain lipids, particularly diacylglycerols and monoacylglycerols. Histopathological examinations of LGZG-treated mice also revealed more favorable adipose tissue structures than their obese counterparts. Furthermore, we found that LGZG upregulated the expression of several key thermogenesis-related factors, such as UCP1, PRDM16, PGC-1α, PPARα, PPARγ, CTBP1, and CTBP2 in white adipose tissues. Conclusion: Our findings position LGZG as a novel strategy for preventing obesity and improving metabolic health. Keywords: Chinese herbal formula, obesity, glucolipid metabolism disorder, adipose browning effect, thermogenesis, UCP1

    Keywords: Chinese herbal formula, Obesity, glucolipid metabolism disorder, adipose browning effect, Thermogenesis, UCP1

    Received: 04 May 2024; Accepted: 17 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Li, Ye, Zhao, Xu, Wanying, Wang, An, Wang and WU. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: RUI WU, Department of Endocrinology, Guang'anmen Hospital South Campus, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.