Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Ijinskaja Aqueous Extract (CPAE) Ameliorates Obesity by Improving Insulin Signaling in the Hypothalamus of a Metabolic Syndrome Rat Model

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BACKGROUND: (CP) aqueous extract (CPAE) on obesity. METHODS: SHR.Cg-Leprcp/NDmcr (SHR/cp) rats were used as a model of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Experimental animals were allocated into two groups-control and CPAE (0.5 g/kg)-for a 7-week treatment period. Examinations were performed, including general physiological characteristics, obesity-related biochemical parameters, and insulin-signaling pathway-related proteins in the hypothalamus. RESULTS: Treatment with CPAE reduced food intake, body weight, organ weight, fat mass, and body mass index (BMI) in SHR/cp rats. Meanwhile, CPAE also decreased the levels of fasting serum glucose, fasting serum insulin, HOMA-IR, serum free fatty acids, serum malondialdehyde, serum superoxide dismutase, and serum total-glutathione. The levels of phosphorylation of target proteins-including InsR, IRS1, PI3Kp85, Akt, and FoXO1 as well as protein expression of POMC-were significantly upregulated in the hypothalamus, but NPY expression remarkably decreased. CONCLUSIONS: CPAE has antiobesity, antihypoglycemic, antihypolipidemic, and antioxidant properties. The mechanism responsible for the antiobesity effect of CPAE may be related to suppression of energy intake via regulation of insulin-signaling pathway in the hypothalamus.