Erchen Decoction Mitigates Lipid Metabolism Disorder by the Regulation of PPARγ and LPL Gene in a High-Fat Diet C57BL/6 Mice Model

Abstract

Erchen decoction (ECD) is a common treatment prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinics, which has remarkable efficacy in the treatment of obesity, fatty liver, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and other diseases caused by phlegm. In this study, we investigated the effect that ECD had on the lipid metabolism induced by high-fat diet in C57BL/6 mice. Body weight, body length, and abdominal circumference were detected. Blood lipid content was measured via biochemical assay kit. The gene and protein expression of PPARγ and LPL in visceral fat and skeletal muscle of mice was measured by real-time PCR and western blot. The research discovered that the phlegm-resolving effect that ECD had on high-fat diet mice was mainly manifested as reduced body weight, Lee’s index, abdominal circumference, and level of TG and TC. Meanwhile, we observed significantly increased PPARγ mRNA and protein level in visceral fat and PPARγ and LPL protein level in skeletal muscle in the ECD group. Contrarily, a decrease in PPARγ mRNA level in skeletal muscle in the ECD group was observed. Therefore, we speculate that ECD regulates the lipid metabolic disorder by decreasing the blood lipid level. Moreover, the potential molecular mechanism of ECD is to promote the expression of PPARγ in visceral fat and skeletal muscle and the expression of LPL in skeletal muscle.