Objective:

2

To examine the anti-obesity effects of ginsenosides in Korea Red Ginseng (KRG

Panax ginseng

) in rats fed with a high-fat diet (HFD).

Methods:

2

Twenty-five 4-week-old obesity rats after receiving an HFD for 5 weeks; subsequently

they were additionally treated with ginsenosides Rb1

Rd

Rg1

or Re (10 mg/kg

intraperitoneal injection) for a further 3 weeks (

n

=5 in each group). The control rats were fed a normal diet. The food consumption

body weight

locomotor activity

serum lipids

adipose tissues

nitric oxide (NO) expression

leptin

neuropeptide Y (NPY)

cholecystokinin (CCK) in the brains were measured.

Results:

2

In the HFD-fed rats

body weight

body fat mass

serum levels of leptin and NO were significantly higher than in the control rats (

P

<

0.05 or

P

<

0.01). However

the treatment of Rd

Re

and Rb1 markedly decreased body fat mass and body weight (

P

<

0.05). The serum level of leptin and NO in ginsenoside-treated rats were markedly lower than the control group (

P

<

0.01). The expression of NPY and CCK in the hypothalamic nuclei showed insignificant difference among groups. However

the expression of NPY immunoreactive neurons in the hypothalamus was significantly reduced in the Rb1-treated group (

P

<

0.05).

Conclusion:

2

PD-type ginsenoside Rb1 from the crude saponins of KRG may be a useful compound for the treatment of obesity and related disorders through the modulation of peripheral and central appetite-regulating signals.