Novel weight-reducing activity of Galega officinalis in Mice.
Palit P., Furman B. L., Gray A. I.
Author Affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK.
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 51 : 1313-1319
Abstract : G. officinalis is well known for its hypoglycaemic action and has been used as part of a plant mixture in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. During pharmacological investigations of an ethanolic extract of a powdered mixture of equal proportions of G. officinalis, Cressa cretica, Mangifera indica and Syzygium jambolanum, a weight reducing effect was discovered. The novel weight reducing effect of G. officinalis was investigated in mice. The herb (10% w/w in the diet) reduced body weight in both normal and genetically obese (ob/ob) animals treated for 28 days when compared with controls. In normal mice, weight loss was reversible and initially associated with a transient reduction in food intake but was then maintained even in the presence of increased eating above the control level. Pair-fed normal mice receiving G. officinalis for 7 days also showed significant weight loss in the presence of increasing food intake. In sharp contrast, weight loss in G. officinalis-treated ob/ob mice was accompanied by a persistent reduction in food intake over the 28-day treatment period. Post-mortem examinations of all treated mice revealed an absence of body fat. Serum glucose was significantly reduced in both strains of mice receiving G. officinalis for 28 days, whereas serum insulin was significantly reduced only in obese mice.