Agrimonia pilosaLedeb. Ameliorates Hyperglycemia and Hepatic Steatosis in Ovariectomized Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet

Estrogen deficiency is associated with obesity, dyslipidemia, and increased insulin resistance in postmenopausal women. An efficient therapeutic agent prevents or improves postmenopausal conditions induced by estrogen deficiency. Here, we investigated the effects of aqueousAgrimonia pilosaLedeb. extract on glucose and lipid metabolism in ovariectomized rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Female Sprague-Dawley rats were sham-operated or ovariectomized, and 3 weeks later were assigned to the following groups: sham-operated + HFD (S); ovariectomized + HFD (OVX); and ovariectomized + HFD with 0.5%A. pilosaaqueous extract (OVX + 0.5A) groups. Ovariectomy significantly increased body weight and dietary intake relative to the S group. However,A. pilosatreatment did not significantly affect weight gain or dietary intake. Blood triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels tended to decrease in theA. pilosa-supplemented group. Blood glucose levels were significantly lower in the OVX + 0.5A group than those in the OVX group. Blood adiponectin and insulin concentrations increased significantly afterA. pilosatreatment in the ovariectomized group.A. pilosasupplementation tended to decrease liver weights and prevented lipid accumulation. These effects correlated with reduced hepatic expression of lipogenesis-related genes (fatty acid synthase, acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase alpha, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase). Therefore,A. pilosamay improve metabolic disorders in ovariectomized rats.