Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine (동의생리병리학회지)

The Physiological Society of Korean Medicine and The Society of Pathology in Korean Medicine (대한동의생리학회·한의병리학회)
권호 표지

Aqueous Extract of Ma huang Decreases Neuropeptide Y Expression in the Hypothalamus of Rats

  • Shin Mal Soon (Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Shin Min Chul (Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Jang Mi Hyean (Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Chang Hyun Kyung (Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Kim Chang Ju (Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Kim Jeong Sean (Department of Oriental Medical Food & Nutrition, Semyung University) ;
  • Kim Ee Hwa (Department of Meridian & Acupoint, College of Oriental Medicine, Semyung University)
  • Published : 2003.08.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Ma huang, the dried plant stem of Ephedra Intermedia Schrenk et CA, is one of the well known medicinal herbs, and has been used for the diaphoretic, antiasthmatic, and diuretic actions. Ma huang is an ephedrine type alkaloid used for the weight loss and energy expenditure. Medications based on the Ma huang have been found to be effective in the treatment of obesity. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a 36-amino-acid peptide and concentrated in the hypothalamus, stimulates feeding desire and decrease energy expenditure. In the present study, the effect of Ma huang on the expression of NPY in the rat hypothalamus was investigated using immunohistochemistry. The present results demonstrated that Ma huang treatment suppressed weight gain and NPY expression in the hypothalamus depending upon the dosage used. Based on the results, it can be suggested that Ma huang treatment is effective in curbing the desire for food via modulation of NPY expression under the normal conditions.

Keywords

References

  1. J Clin Pharmacol v.37 Pharmacokinetics and cardiovascular effects of ma-huang (Ephedra sinica) in normotensive adults. White,L.M.;Gardner,S.F.;Gurley,B.J.;Marx,M.A.;Wang,P.L.;Estes,M. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1552-4604.1997.tb04769.x
  2. Res Commun Mol Pathol Parmacol v.96 Adverse cardiovascular and central nervous system events associated with dietary supplements. Haller,C.A.;Benoxitz,N.L.
  3. Am J Med v.99 Alpha sympa-thomimetic treatment of autonomic insufficiency with orthostatic hypotension. Fouad-Tarazi F.M.;Okabe M.;Goren H. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9343(99)80246-0
  4. Gen Pharmacol v.30 Effect of hydroxypropyl--cyclodextrin on the central stimulant activity of (-)-ephedrine and oxazolidine prodrug in rats. Walker,R.B.;Dholakia,V.N.;Brasfield,K.L.;Bakhitiar,R. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0306-3623(97)00341-8
  5. Am J Clin Nutr v.55 Pharmacology of thermogenic drugs. Astrup,A.;Toubro,S.;Christensen,N.J.;Quaade F.
  6. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord v.17 Ephedrine as a thermogenic drug. Dulloo,A.G.;Stock,M.J.
  7. J. Pharm Sci v.87 Ephedrine-type alkaloid content of nutritional supplements containing Ma huang (Ma-huang) as determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Gurley,B.J.;Wang,P.;Gardner,S.F. https://doi.org/10.1021/js9801844
  8. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol v.37 Hypersensitivity myocarditis associated with ephedra use. Zaacks,S.M.;Klein,L.;Tan,C.D.;Rodriguez,E.R.;Leikin,J.B. https://doi.org/10.1081/CLT-100102440
  9. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord v.25 An herbal supplement containing Ma huang-Guarana for weight loss:a randomized, double-blind trial. Boozer,C.;Nasser,J.;Heymsfield,S.;Wang,V.;Chen,G.;Solomon,J. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801539
  10. Eur J Pharmacol v.340 Increased hypothalamic neuropeptide Y concentration or hyper-phagia in streptozotocin-diabetic rats are not mediated by glucocorticoids. Dryden S;Burns SJ;Frankish HM;Williams G. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0014-2999(97)01410-6
  11. Am J Physiol v.260 Effects of interacere-broventricular injection of neuropeptide Y on energy metabolism. Billington,C.J.;Briggs,J.E.;Grace,M.;Levine,A.S.
  12. Neuroscience v.15 The anatomy of neuropeptide-Y-containing neurons in rat brain. Chronwall,B.M.;DiMaggio,D.A.;Massari,V.J.;Pickel,V.M.;Ruggiero,D.A.;O'Donohue,T.L.; https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4522(85)90260-X
  13. Neurosci Lett v.322 Nicotine administration decreases nitric oxide synthase expression in the hypothalamus of food-deprived rats. Jang,M.H.;Shin,M.C.;Lim,B.V.;Chung,J.H.;Kang,H.S.;Kang,S.A.;Choue,R.W.;Kim,E.H.;Kim, C.J. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(02)00076-9
  14. J Am Med Assoc v.273 Growing Use of Medicinal Botanicals Forces Assessment by Drug Regulators. Marwick,C.J. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.273.8.607
  15. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord v.26 Herbal ephedra/caffeine for weight loss:a 6-month randomized safety and efficacy trial. Boozer C.N.;Daly P.A.;Homel P.;Solomon J.L.;Blanchard D.;Nasser J.A.;Strauss R.;Meredith T. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802023
  16. Curr Top neuroendocrinol v.10 A novel pepetidergic signal for the control of feeding behavior. Kalra,S.P.;Kalra,P.S.;Neuropeptide,Y.
  17. Ann N Y Acad Sci. v.611 Hypothalamic neuropeptide Y in relation to energy balance. Leibowitz,S.F. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1990.tb48939.x
  18. Diabetologia v.36 Effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus and insulin treatment of neuropeptide Y mRNA in the rat hypothalamus. Marks,J.L.;Waite,K.;Li,M. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02743264
  19. Diabetes v.38 Increased neuropeptide Y concentrations in specific hypothalamic regions of streptozocin-induced diabitic rats. Williams,G.;Gill,J.S.;Lee,Y.C.;Cardoso,H.M.;Okpere,B.E.;Bloom,S.R. https://doi.org/10.2337/diabetes.38.3.321
  20. Physiol Behav v.74 The hypothalamus and the control of energy homeostasis different circuits,different purposes. Williams,G.;Bing,C.;Cai,X.J.;Harrold,J.A.;King,P.J.;Liu,X.H. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9384(01)00612-6
  21. Nat Neurosci v.1 Coexpression of AGRP and NPY in fasting-activated hypothalamic neurons. Hahn,T.M.;Breininger,J.F.;Baskin,D.G.;Schwartz,M.W. https://doi.org/10.1038/1082
  22. Annu Rev Neurosci v.6 Hypothalamic integration:organization of the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. Swanson,L.W.;Sawchenko,P.E. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ne.06.030183.001413