Traditional medicine yanggyuksanhwa-tang inhibits adipogenesis and suppresses proliferator-activated receptor-gamma expression in 3T3-L1 cells

BACKGROUND: Yanggyuksanhwa-tang (YGSHT) is a specific traditional Korean herbal formula for Soyangin according to Sasang constitutional philosophy. Although its biological activities against inflammation and cerebral infarction have been reporting, there is no information about the adipogenic activity of YGSHT. In the present study, we investigated the anti-adipogenic activity of YGSHT to evaluate effects of YGSHT on adipogenesis in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, we induced the cellular differentiation into adipocytes by adding insulin. Anti-adipogenic activity of YGSHT was measured by oil red O staining, triglyceride assay, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity test, and leptin assay. RESULTS: YGSHT extract had no significant cytotoxicity in preadipocytes or differentiated adipocytes. YGSHT reduced the number of lipid droplets and content of triglyceride in adipose cells. YGSHT also significantly inhibited GPDH activity and decreased leptin production compared with control adipocytes. Down-regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) expression at the messenger RNA level was observed in YGSHT-treated adipocytes. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our data suggest that YGSHT has potential as an anti-obesity drug candidate.