BackgroundHOX-7 is a newly developed dietary formula composed of traditional oriental herbal medicines. The formula was developed with the aim of improving weight control. We investigated the anti-obesity effect of HOX-7 on high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity in C57BL/6 mice.MethodsThe mice were divided into four groups and were fed a normal diet (ND), HFD, or HFD with oral administration of HOX-7 at 100 or 200 mg/kg/day for 12 weeks. Body and fat weight, histological changes of fat tissue, and the expression of key adipogenic transcription factors were investigated.ResultsThe body weight of mice fed the HFD with HOX-7 was significantly decreased compared to the HFD group. There were no obvious differences in weekly food intake among the 4 groups. The weight of the epididymal and total fat pads was reduced in mice fed the HFD with HOX-7. Treatment with HOX-7 also substantially attenuated the expression of key adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor γ, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α, sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c, adipocyte P2, liver X receptor, and lipoprotein lipase in the epididymal adipose tissue.ConclusionOverall, this study highlighted the anti-obesity effects of HOX-7, a finding that could contribute to the development of natural anti-obesity herbal medicines.

Background: The aim of this study was to simplify and identify the contents of the herbal formula, HBX-5. This study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic effects of HBX-6 in a mouse model of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Based on in vitro, we selected a candidate, reconstituted an experimental agent and investigated the effects on testosterone-induced BPH rats. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay in RWPE-1 and WPMY-1 cells. The expression of androgen receptor (AR) was measured in dihydrotestosterone-stimulated RWPE-1 and WPMY-1 cells. BPH was induced in mice by a subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate for four weeks. Animals were divided into six groups: Group 1, control mice; Group 2, mice with BPH; Group 3, mice with BPH treated with finasteride; Group 4, mice with BPH treated with 200 mg/kg HBX-5; Group 5, mice with BPH treated with 100 mg/kg HBX-6; and Group 6, mice with BPH treated with 200 mg/kg HBX-6. Changes in prostate weight were measured after treatments, and the thickness of the epithelium was evaluated. The expression levels of proteins associated with prostatic cell proliferation and cell cycle-related proteins were determined. Based on previous reports and in vitro results, we selected Cornus officinalis and Psoralea corylifolia among HBX-5 components and reconstituted the experimental agent, and named it HBX-6. The result represented a new herbal formula, HBX-6 that suppressed the pathological alterations in BPH and showed a marked reduction in proliferation-related protein expression compared to mice with BPH. Our results indicate that HBX-6 has a better therapeutic effect in the BPH murine model than those of HBX-5 and finasteride, suggesting the role of HBX-6 as a new BPH remedial agent.