Effect of traditional herbal medicine, danggui-yukhwang-tang, on post-menopausal weight gain in ovariectomized high-fat diet rats

Abstract The decrease in estrogen due to menopause leads to impaired lipid metabolism and is closely related to the increase in metabolic syndrome due to weight gain. Hormone replacement therapy is effective for menopause, but with an increased risk of side effects. Danggui-yukhwang-tang (DYT) is a traditional drug, comprising seven herbs, used to treat diseases like slight fever with sweating, blood-flow disorders, and neurasthenia. However, the effect on menopausal obesity has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of DYT on weight gain in female rats fed a high-fat diet after ovariectomy. Adipocyte differentiation was effectively reduced by DYT in 3T3-L1 cells, and the mRNAs of PPARγ , C/EBPα , and FABP4 , which are adipogenesis-related genes, were reduced. In the in vivo study, OVX and HFD elevated body weight; however, its induction significantly decreased in the DYT-treated groups. The serum lipid profile was also examined, and DYT treatment significantly decreased LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels compared with the OVX and OVX + HFD groups. DYT treatment effectively reduced the temperature(s) of the tail and body in the rats. The study demonstrates that DYT inhibits adipogenic differentiation, hypercholesterolemia, and weight gain in a post-menopausal rat model by regulating adipogenic markers (PPAR γ , C/EBP α , FABP4) and the serum lipid profile in OVX + HFD rats.