Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of Ephedra sinica pharmacopuncture on the weight and lipid metabolism of obese mice. Methods: Obesity was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by a 60% fat diet. The animals were divided into three groups (n=5) fed a normal diet, high-fat diet, and high-fat diet with Ephedra sinica pharmacopuncture. After 13 wk, fasting blood sugar levels were measured in each group, and oral glucose tolerance tests were conducted. After 15 wk, body weight, epididymal fat pad weight, subcutaneous fat pad weight, and serum lipid and gene expression of hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL), perilipin, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ were measured in each group. Results: In the Ephedra group, body weight, fasting blood sugar, and oral glucose tolerance were significantly decreased. In addition, in the Ephedra group, the gene expression of HSL was significantly increased, whereas that of perilipin was significantly decreased. Conclusions: These results provide evidence that E. sinicapharmacopuncture affects obesity and obesity-induced metabolic syndrome, including insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, by activating lipolysis via the HSL pathway in adipose tissue.

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Objective: This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Mori folium on insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation in an experimental mouse model of obesity.Methods: Obesity was induced in C57BL/6 mice by feeding them a high-fat diet. The mice were divided into four groups (n=6): a normal diet, high-fat diet, high-fat diet with 40 mg of Mori folium, and high-fat diet with 800 mg of Mori folium groups. After 13 wk, the body weights, fasting blood glucose and fasting serum insulin levels, insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment) levels, oral glucose tolerance test levels, epididymal fat and liver weights, and gene expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interferon-γ were measured. In addition, adipose tissue macrophages were analyzed by fluorescenceactivated cell sorting.Results: Mori folium significantly reduced blood glucose levels, oral glucose tolerance levels, and liver weights. It also reduced adipose tissue macrophage numbers and tumor necrosis factor receptor-α gene expression. Conclusions:These results show that Mori folium has insulin resistance reduction and anti-inflammatory effects in an experimental mouse model of obesity. Ⅰ. 서 론 비만은 선진국에서 가장 흔한 대사질환 중 하나로, 우리나라에서도 식생활과 생활양식이 서구화됨에 따 라, 열량 섭취가 증가하고 활동량이 감소하면서 비만 인구가 급증하고 있다 1 . 비만 환자는 지방조직 내에 macrophage가 침착되고 염증 매개 인자의 분비량이 증가하며 인슐린 신호 전달 체계가 교란되어 인슐린 저항성이 발생하는 등 대사 기능이 저하되어 있는데, 이 과정에 염증반응이 중요하게 작용한다 2 . 지방조직 에서의 염증반응은 사이토카인 생산의 이상, 급성기 반응물질의 증가, 염증 신호전달계의 활성화를 거치 는데, 이 과정을 조절하여 염증 상태로부터 회복을 촉진하고, 항염증 작용을 하며, 인슐린 저항성을 개 선하는 것은 비만과 대사 질환의 치료에 중요하다 3 . 한의학에서는 비만의 주원인을 先天稟賦, 過食 桑葉이 비만 유발 생쥐의 인슐린 저항성 및 지방세포 염증에 미치는 영향

This study was undertaken to investigate how magnolia bark extract affects ob/ob mouse in terms of metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance.Methods: Leptin-deficient ob/ob mice were divided into 2 groups (n=5): a normal saline treatment (=control) and magnolia bark treatment. Wild type mice were the lean group (n=5). After 5 weeks, we measured fasting blood sugar (FBS) and conducted oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) in each group. After 6 weeks, we measured body weight, epididymal fat pad weight, liver weight, serum glucose, serum insulin, and gene expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, and interleukin-6. We characterized the phenotype of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) and analyzed fractions of the phenotype in each group by flow cytometry.Results: In the magnolia bark group, fasting blood sugar, oral glucose tolerance levels, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were significantly decreased. The population and proportion of ATMs among leukocytes in adipose tissue were significantly decreased in the magnolia bark group. The population and proportion of M1 type ATMs among ATMs were significantly decreased in the magnolia bark group. Gene expression of tumor necrosis factor-α was significantly decreased in the magnolia bark group.Conclusions: These results support a positive effect of magnolia bark on metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance and metabolic inflammation in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice.

This study was undertaken to examine the effect of Cortex Phellodendri on prostatic urethral pressure and mean arterial blood pressure of rabbits. Methods: To measure prostatic urethral pressure and mean arterial blood pressure, a Mikro-Tip catheter transducer was inserted and positioned in the prostatic urethra and left carotid artery. After a stabilizing period, phenylephrine (1 μ/kg) was intravenously administered two or three times to increase the urethral pressure and mean arterial blood pressure. Cortex Phellodendri (2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg doses of Cortex Phellodendri extracted from 80% Ethanol) was administered intravenously, followed by phenylephrine, with no time interval between the doses. The urethral pressure and mean arterial blood pressure were then measured to determine whether they had stabilized. Results and Conclusion: Cortex Phellodendri appeared to inhibit phenylephrine-induced increases in prostatic urethral pressure and mean arterial blood pressure.