Effect of shanzha, a Chinese herbal product, on obesity and dyslipidemia in hamsters receiving high-fat diet.

OBJECTIVE

The present study is designed to investigate the effect of shanzha (Crataegus pinnatifida) on obesity or dyslipidemia induced by high-fat diet in hamsters and characterize the role of PPARalpha in this action of shanzha.

METHODS

We induced dyslipidemia and obesity in hamsters using high-fat diet and treated hamsters with shanzha or vehicle for 7 days. We measured the body weight, adipose tissue weights, and food intake of hamsters. Plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined at the beginning and end of this treatment. Effect of shanzha on adipogenesis was examined in vitro and change of PPARalpha was analyzed using Western blot.

RESULTS

The food intake, body weights, and weights of both brown and white adipose tissues were markedly reduced in hamsters receiving shanzha as compared with the vehicle-treated control. Plasma levels of TC, TG and LDL-C were decreased by this shanzha treatment while HDL-C was elevated. The effects of shanzha were reversed by the combined treatment with PPARalpha antagonist, MK886. Shanzha inhibited the fat droplet accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner and this effect was abolished by MK886. Western blot results showed activation of PPARalpha by shanzha in hamster adipose tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest that shanzha could activate PPARalpha to improve dyslipidemia or obesity.